The Flat Top Mine Site is northeast of the town of Ludlow, Harding County, South Dakota (Attachment 1). Uranium mining activities occurred around Ludlow in the North Cave Hills, South Cave Hills and Flint Buttes from the late 1950s to 1964 under the General Mining Laws and Public Law 357, which did not require any restoration. The North Cave Hills and South Cave Hills are part of the Custer National Forest and subsequently owned by the United States Forest Service (USFS). The Flat Top Mine is located in the Flint Buttes and is currently on private ranch land.
Site assessment work conducted in 2009 and 2011 showed that the highest concentration of contamination occurs at and around an old mine pit that is now the largest pond on the north side of an old highwall, approximately 0.5 miles north of the town of Ludlow. Uranium was detected in soil sediments with concentrations up to 770 parts per million (ppm) and in surface water with concentrations up to 558 micrograms per liter (µg/L).
Other elements of concern with elevated levels in the surface water were arsenic with concentrations ranging from 457 to 536 µg/L, vanadium with concentrations ranging from 73 to 258 µg/L, and molybdenum with concentrations ranging from 894 to 1,730 µg/L.
Removal action has been planned to start the week of July 9, 2012 but has been delayed.
