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ABSTRACT
April 17,1999 saw the beginning of the closure of a very controversial mining site in the small town of Pony, MT with the completion of the stabilization and rinsing of the tailings. In late 1994, low concentrations of cyanide were detected in a domestic well in the town of Pony, Montana, and at a nearby spring. The cyanide is believed to have leaked through the liner of a tailings impoundment at the site of the Pony Custom Gold Mill. Responsibility for the site reverted to The Montana Department of Environmental Quality and reclamation efforts began with removal of hazardous chemicals from the site and dewatering of the tailings pond. Further reclamation of the site required engineering design involving the dam, pond, and the surrounding slopes. Of particular interest is the manner in which the cyanide-processed tailings were handled. The tailings were treated by rinsing and subsequently buried under several feet of soil originating from the tailings dam.