Black dust problem curbed at closed manganese mine

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2002 | 10:52 a.m.

The Clark County Air Pollution Control Board on Monday delayed action against owners of a World War II-era manganese mine east of Henderson.

Three Kids Enterprises and two federal agencies in mid-September successfully curbed potentially toxic, black dust that had been blowing from the 150-acre, open-pit mine for more than 40 years, said Bob Folle, compliance manager for Clark County Air Pollution Control Division on Monday.

But boat storage business owner Laird Sanders disagreed, telling the hearing board that dust continues to blow onto his Lake Mead Drive property.

Folle said he is "still optimistic" that cleanup efforts were adequate, but will inspect the site again and report back to the board Nov. 14.

The cleanup, estimated at $80,000, was delayed more than a year while the owners mulled a corrective action ordered by the county Pollution Control Division in June 2001.

The board cited the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Land Management and Three Kids Enterprises for excessive dust blowing from Three Kids Mine after receiving complaints from nearby businesses and residents.

Folle termed a plastic-based coating sprayed at the 300-foot deep mine as "a temporary, but long-term fix."