Philip L Verplanck
Philip Verplanck is a Research Geologist with the Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 80
Reconnaissance of weathering rates in alpine catchments of central Colorado, USA
No abstract available.
Authors
R.E. Wanty, P. L. Verplanck, C. Bern, T. Todoro, C. San Juan, E.H. deWitt, T. L. Klein, D. Fey, T.S. Schmidt, S. E. Church
Predicting risks to aquatic life based on lithologic specific geochemical baselines
No abstract available.
Authors
Travis S. Schmidt, R. B. Wanty, P. L. Verplanck, S. E. Church, C. San Juan, D. Fey, B.W. Rockwell, E.H. deWitt, T. L. Klein
Development of a new toxic-unit model for the bioassessment of metals in streams
Two toxic-unit models that estimate the toxicity of trace-metal mixtures to benthic communities were compared. The chronic criterion accumulation ratio (CCAR), a modification of biotic ligand model (BLM) outputs for use as a toxic-unit model, accounts for the modifying and competitive influences of major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, H+), anions (HCO3−, CO32−,SO42−, Cl−, S2−) and dissolved organic
Authors
Travis S. Schmidt, W.H. Clements, K.A. Mitchell, Stanley E. Church, Richard B. Wanty, David L. Fey, Philip L. Verplanck, Carma A. San Juan
Estimating natural background groundwater chemistry, Questa molybdenum mine, New Mexico
This 2 1/2 day field trip will present an overview of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) project whose objective was to estimate pre-mining groundwater chemistry at the Questa molybdenum mine, New Mexico. Because of intense debate among stakeholders regarding pre-mining groundwater chemistry standards, the New Mexico Environment Department and Chevron Mining Inc. (formerly Molycorp) agreed that the U
Authors
Phillip L. Verplanck, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Bruce M. Walker
Questa Baseline and Pre-mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation, 7. A Pictorial Record of Chemical Weathering, Erosional Processes, and Potential Debris-flow Hazards in Scar Areas Developed on Hydrothermally Altered Rocks
Erosional scar areas developed along the lower Red River basin, New Mexico, reveal a complex natural history of mineralizing processes, rapid chemical weathering, and intense physical erosion during periodic outbursts of destructive, storm-induced runoff events.
The scar areas are prominent erosional features with craggy headwalls and steep, denuded slopes. The largest scar areas, including, f
Authors
Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Steve Ludington, Kirk R. Vincent, Philip L. Verplanck, Jonathan S. Caine, K. Eric Livo
A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado
Pre- and post-remediation data sets are used herein to assess the effectiveness of remedial measures implemented in the headwaters of the Mineral Creek watershed, where contamination from hard rock mining has led to elevated metal concentrations and acidic pH. Collection of pre- and post-remediation data sets generally followed the synoptic mass balance approach, in which numerous stream and inflo
Authors
R.L. Runkel, K.E. Bencala, B. A. Kimball, K. Walton-Day, P. L. Verplanck
Geochemistry of standard mine waters, Gunnison County, Colorado, July 2009
In many hard-rock-mining districts water flowing from abandoned mine adits is a primary source of metals to receiving streams. Understanding the generation of adit discharge is an important step in developing remediation plans. In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed the Standard Mine in the Elk Creek drainage basin near Crested Butte, Colorado as a superfund site because drainage
Authors
Philip L. Verplanck, Andrew H. Manning, Jeffrey T. Graves, R. Blaine McCleskey, Todor I. Todorov, Paul J. Lamothe
U.S. Geological Survey research in Handcart Gulch, Colorado—An alpine watershed with natural acid-rock drainage
Handcart Gulch is an alpine watershed along the Continental Divide in the Colorado Rocky Mountain Front Range. It contains an unmined mineral deposit typical of many hydrothermal mineral deposits in the intermountain west, composed primarily of pyrite with trace metals including copper and molybdenum. Springs and the trunk stream have a natural pH value of 3 to 4. The U.S. Geological Survey began
Authors
Andrew H. Manning, Jonathan S. Caine, Philip L. Verplanck, Dana J. Bove, Katherine G. Kahn
Naturally acidic surface and ground waters draining porphyry-related mineralized areas of the Southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado and New Mexico
Acidic, metal-rich waters produced by the oxidative weathering and resulting leaching of major and trace elements from pyritic rocks can adversely affect water quality in receiving streams and riparian ecosystems. Five study areas in the southern Rocky Mountains with naturally acidic waters associated with porphyry mineralization were studied to document variations in water chemistry and processes
Authors
P. L. Verplanck, D. Kirk Nordstrom, D. J. Bove, G.S. Plumlee, R.L. Runkel
Geochemistry of surface water in alpine catchments in central Colorado, USA: Resolving host-rock effects at different spatial scales
The US Geological Survey is conducting a study of surface-water quality in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado, an area of approximately 55,000 km2. Using new and existing geologic maps, the more than 200 rock formations represented in the area were arranged into 17 groups based on lithologic similarity. The dominant regional geologic feature affecting water quality in central Colorado is the
Authors
R. B. Wanty, P. L. Verplanck, Juan C.A. San, S. E. Church, T.S. Schmidt, D. L. Fey, E.H. deWitt, T. L. Klein
Application of iron and zinc isotopes to track the sources and mechanisms of metal loading in a mountain watershed
Here the hydrogeochemical constraints of a tracer dilution study are combined with Fe and Zn isotopic measurements to pinpoint metal loading sources and attenuation mechanisms in an alpine watershed impacted by acid mine drainage. In the tested mountain catchment, δ56Fe and δ66Zn isotopic signatures of filtered stream water samples varied by ∼3.5‰ and 0.4‰, respectively. The inherent differences i
Authors
D.M. Borrok, R. B. Wanty, Ridley W. Ian, P. J. Lamothe, B. A. Kimball, P. L. Verplanck, R.L. Runkel
Aquatic ecosystems in Central Colorado are influenced by mineral forming processes and historical mining
Stream water and sediment toxicity to aquatic insects were quantified from central Colorado catchments to distinguish the effect of geologic processes which result in high background metals concentrations from historical mining. Our sampling design targeted small catchments underlain by rocks of a single lithology, which allowed the development of biological and geochemical baselines without the c
Authors
T.S. Schmidt, S. E. Church, W.H. Clements, K.A. Mitchell, D. L. Fey, R. B. Wanty, P. L. Verplanck, Juan C.A. San, T. L. Klein, E.H. deWitt, B.W. Rockwell
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 80
Reconnaissance of weathering rates in alpine catchments of central Colorado, USA
No abstract available.
Authors
R.E. Wanty, P. L. Verplanck, C. Bern, T. Todoro, C. San Juan, E.H. deWitt, T. L. Klein, D. Fey, T.S. Schmidt, S. E. Church
Predicting risks to aquatic life based on lithologic specific geochemical baselines
No abstract available.
Authors
Travis S. Schmidt, R. B. Wanty, P. L. Verplanck, S. E. Church, C. San Juan, D. Fey, B.W. Rockwell, E.H. deWitt, T. L. Klein
Development of a new toxic-unit model for the bioassessment of metals in streams
Two toxic-unit models that estimate the toxicity of trace-metal mixtures to benthic communities were compared. The chronic criterion accumulation ratio (CCAR), a modification of biotic ligand model (BLM) outputs for use as a toxic-unit model, accounts for the modifying and competitive influences of major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, H+), anions (HCO3−, CO32−,SO42−, Cl−, S2−) and dissolved organic
Authors
Travis S. Schmidt, W.H. Clements, K.A. Mitchell, Stanley E. Church, Richard B. Wanty, David L. Fey, Philip L. Verplanck, Carma A. San Juan
Estimating natural background groundwater chemistry, Questa molybdenum mine, New Mexico
This 2 1/2 day field trip will present an overview of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) project whose objective was to estimate pre-mining groundwater chemistry at the Questa molybdenum mine, New Mexico. Because of intense debate among stakeholders regarding pre-mining groundwater chemistry standards, the New Mexico Environment Department and Chevron Mining Inc. (formerly Molycorp) agreed that the U
Authors
Phillip L. Verplanck, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Bruce M. Walker
Questa Baseline and Pre-mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation, 7. A Pictorial Record of Chemical Weathering, Erosional Processes, and Potential Debris-flow Hazards in Scar Areas Developed on Hydrothermally Altered Rocks
Erosional scar areas developed along the lower Red River basin, New Mexico, reveal a complex natural history of mineralizing processes, rapid chemical weathering, and intense physical erosion during periodic outbursts of destructive, storm-induced runoff events.
The scar areas are prominent erosional features with craggy headwalls and steep, denuded slopes. The largest scar areas, including, f
Authors
Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Steve Ludington, Kirk R. Vincent, Philip L. Verplanck, Jonathan S. Caine, K. Eric Livo
A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado
Pre- and post-remediation data sets are used herein to assess the effectiveness of remedial measures implemented in the headwaters of the Mineral Creek watershed, where contamination from hard rock mining has led to elevated metal concentrations and acidic pH. Collection of pre- and post-remediation data sets generally followed the synoptic mass balance approach, in which numerous stream and inflo
Authors
R.L. Runkel, K.E. Bencala, B. A. Kimball, K. Walton-Day, P. L. Verplanck
Geochemistry of standard mine waters, Gunnison County, Colorado, July 2009
In many hard-rock-mining districts water flowing from abandoned mine adits is a primary source of metals to receiving streams. Understanding the generation of adit discharge is an important step in developing remediation plans. In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed the Standard Mine in the Elk Creek drainage basin near Crested Butte, Colorado as a superfund site because drainage
Authors
Philip L. Verplanck, Andrew H. Manning, Jeffrey T. Graves, R. Blaine McCleskey, Todor I. Todorov, Paul J. Lamothe
U.S. Geological Survey research in Handcart Gulch, Colorado—An alpine watershed with natural acid-rock drainage
Handcart Gulch is an alpine watershed along the Continental Divide in the Colorado Rocky Mountain Front Range. It contains an unmined mineral deposit typical of many hydrothermal mineral deposits in the intermountain west, composed primarily of pyrite with trace metals including copper and molybdenum. Springs and the trunk stream have a natural pH value of 3 to 4. The U.S. Geological Survey began
Authors
Andrew H. Manning, Jonathan S. Caine, Philip L. Verplanck, Dana J. Bove, Katherine G. Kahn
Naturally acidic surface and ground waters draining porphyry-related mineralized areas of the Southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado and New Mexico
Acidic, metal-rich waters produced by the oxidative weathering and resulting leaching of major and trace elements from pyritic rocks can adversely affect water quality in receiving streams and riparian ecosystems. Five study areas in the southern Rocky Mountains with naturally acidic waters associated with porphyry mineralization were studied to document variations in water chemistry and processes
Authors
P. L. Verplanck, D. Kirk Nordstrom, D. J. Bove, G.S. Plumlee, R.L. Runkel
Geochemistry of surface water in alpine catchments in central Colorado, USA: Resolving host-rock effects at different spatial scales
The US Geological Survey is conducting a study of surface-water quality in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado, an area of approximately 55,000 km2. Using new and existing geologic maps, the more than 200 rock formations represented in the area were arranged into 17 groups based on lithologic similarity. The dominant regional geologic feature affecting water quality in central Colorado is the
Authors
R. B. Wanty, P. L. Verplanck, Juan C.A. San, S. E. Church, T.S. Schmidt, D. L. Fey, E.H. deWitt, T. L. Klein
Application of iron and zinc isotopes to track the sources and mechanisms of metal loading in a mountain watershed
Here the hydrogeochemical constraints of a tracer dilution study are combined with Fe and Zn isotopic measurements to pinpoint metal loading sources and attenuation mechanisms in an alpine watershed impacted by acid mine drainage. In the tested mountain catchment, δ56Fe and δ66Zn isotopic signatures of filtered stream water samples varied by ∼3.5‰ and 0.4‰, respectively. The inherent differences i
Authors
D.M. Borrok, R. B. Wanty, Ridley W. Ian, P. J. Lamothe, B. A. Kimball, P. L. Verplanck, R.L. Runkel
Aquatic ecosystems in Central Colorado are influenced by mineral forming processes and historical mining
Stream water and sediment toxicity to aquatic insects were quantified from central Colorado catchments to distinguish the effect of geologic processes which result in high background metals concentrations from historical mining. Our sampling design targeted small catchments underlain by rocks of a single lithology, which allowed the development of biological and geochemical baselines without the c
Authors
T.S. Schmidt, S. E. Church, W.H. Clements, K.A. Mitchell, D. L. Fey, R. B. Wanty, P. L. Verplanck, Juan C.A. San, T. L. Klein, E.H. deWitt, B.W. Rockwell