Asarco's smelter in Hayden, Arizona, has been reporting TRI data since 1987. Starting with 1996, the summary includes data from the combined Hayden smelter/concentrator and comparison to previous years are not meaningful.
The table below summarizes the TRI data for the Hayden smelter from 1993-1995 and the Hayden smelter/concentrator for 1996 through 2000:
Reporting Categories |
Total Off-Site Transfers |
||||||||
Year |
Stack Air |
Fugitive Air |
Water |
Land |
Total |
Recycled |
Treatment & Disposal |
||
(In Pounds) |
(In Pounds) |
||||||||
|
2000 |
63,962 | 96,142 | NA | 36,890,754 | 37,050,810 | 2,139,274 | 83 | ||
1999 |
67,611 |
101,556 |
NA |
46,192,443 |
46,361,736 |
7,040,034 |
126 |
||
1998 |
62,313 |
94,251 |
NA |
45,835,850 |
46,016,172 |
4,327,642 |
106 |
||
1997 |
154,371 |
105,461 |
NA |
33,084,187 |
33,721,036 |
7,542,390 |
86 |
||
1996 |
157,915 |
107,816 |
NA |
40,755,712 |
42,269,143 |
38,419,281 |
331 |
||
1995 |
148,969 |
103,184 |
NA |
17,187,457 |
17,439,610 |
19,340,812 |
4,433,014 |
||
1994 |
151,981 |
675,540 |
NA |
17,081,434 |
17,908,955 |
12,960,396 |
1,420,584 |
||
1993 |
132,123 |
583,718 |
NA |
3,204 |
719,045 |
9,188,976 |
1,465,471 |
||
Explanation of Data
Air:
Stack air emissions from the smelter increased from 1993 to 1994 due to an increase in
operating hours. The decrease in air emissions from 1997 to 1998 is due in part to
improved capture of off-gases by a newly installed baghouse on the converters' secondary
hoods.
Fugitive air emissions decreased in 1995 due to better measurements obtained from a six-month fugitive emissions study completed in March 1995. Prior to 1995, engineering estimates based upon conservative factors were used, which overestimated fugitive emissions.
Stack and fugitive air emissions increased from 1998 to 1999 due to an increase in operating hours and a 17% increase in copper production.
Land:
The quantities of slag placed at the facility fluctuated between 1993 and
2000 based on
the amount of slag processed through the concentrator to supplement sulfide ore. In
1993, most of the slag produced was processed because a flood in the mine limited sulfide
ore deliveries. In 1995, there was limited processing of slag when sulfide ore from
the mine again became available. The quantity of slag placed at the facility
increased between 1998 and 1999 and decreased between 1999 and 2000.
Land releases increased from 1995 to 1996 because the concentrator was required to report the placement of naturally occurring, unprocessed rock ("waste rock") and earthen material that remains after milling ("tailings"). These decreased from 1998 to 2000. Most of the data consisted of metals associated with the placement of tailings in the tailings impoundment.
Total:
Over 95% of the total data reported for 1993-1995 consisted of metals associated with the
placement of slag in the plant's slag deposition area. Over 98.7% of the data
reported in 1998 consist of metals associated with the placement of tailings in tailings
impoundments. Over 99.6% of the data reported in 1999 and 2000 consists of metals associated
with the placement of tailings in tailings impoundments and slag in the slag deposition
areas.
Off-Site Transfers:
There was an increase in offsite transfers for the 1995-1996 period due to a one-time
clean up and transfer of pond sediment to an offsite facility. The increase
in off-site transfers in 1999 over 1998 represents filter rock sent to East Helena for
recycling.
