Rio Tinto Copper Mine, Elko County

Remediation of the Rio Tinto Copper Mine in Elko County, Nevada was completed in accordance with the approved work plan in December of 2016 under the supervision of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) as the lead agency, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a supporting role. The completed remedy is designed to be protective of human health, wildlife, and the environment from contamination related to the inactive mine site. The Construction Completion Report can be accessed using the following link.

Read or Download the Construction Completion Report (pdf, 909kb)

A presentation of the remediation work done at the site can be accessed using the following link.

View a presentation of the remediation work on YouTube (2:17)

Surface water monitoring in Mill Creek and Owyhee River, as well as long-term maintenance of the site, are ongoing to insure the continued effectiveness of the remedy.  The most recent five-year review report can be accessed using the following link.

Read or Download the Second 5-year Review Report (pdf, 10.8MB)

The Rio Tinto Administrative Record is also available upon request. The record contains over 100 electronic files. If you are interested in obtaining any of these records, please contact the NDEP's Bureau of Corrective Actions at: (775) 687-9368.


View to the northwest of restored Mill Creek at Rio Tinto Copper Mine in Elko County, Nevada.
View to the northwest of restored Mill Creek at Rio Tinto Copper Mine in Elko County, Nevada. 

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