THE DIRT: CIA sludge pond capped
Courtesy photo
The Central Impoundment Area (CIA) has been a notable feature in the Silver Valley for nearly a century. Constructed in 1928, the CIA was designed to contain vast amounts of mine tailings and waste generated from decades of milling and smelting operations at the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex. Before its creation, tailings were routinely discharged directly into the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River, contributing to widespread contamination throughout the Basin. Over time, the CIA grew into one of the largest repositories in the region, ultimately holding an estimated 24 million cubic yards of mine waste.
The Central Treatment Plant (CTP) treats groundwater and acid mine water to remove the metals before the water enters the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. The process of removing the metals creates a waste product called sludge that needs to be properly stored. The sludge pond was developed by the mine for this purpose.
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