ds-223_readme.txt file Spatial Database of Mining-Related Features in 2001 at Selected Phosphate Mines, Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, and Caribou Counties, Idaho By Phillip R. Moyle(1) and Helen Z. Kayser(2) 2006 U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 223, version 1.0 U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. (1) U.S. Geological Survey, 904 West Riverside Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201 (2) Information Systems Support, Inc., 904 West Riverside Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201 INTRODUCTION This report describes the spatial database, PHOSMINE01, and the processes used to delineate mining-related features (active and inactive/historical) in the core of the southeastern Idaho phosphate resource area. The spatial data have varying degrees of accuracy and attribution detail. Classification of areas by type of mining-related activity at active mines is generally detailed; however, for many of the closed or inactive mines the spatial coverage does not differentiate mining-related surface disturbance features. Nineteen phosphate mine sites are included in the study, three active phosphate mines - Enoch Valley (nearing closure), Rasmussen Ridge, and Smoky Canyon - and 16 inactive (or historical) phosphate mines - Ballard, Champ, Conda, Diamond Gulch, Dry Valley, Gay, Georgetown Canyon, Henry, Home Canyon, Lanes Creek, Maybe Canyon, Mountain Fuel, Trail Canyon, Rattlesnake, Waterloo, and Wooley Valley. Approximately 6,000 hc (15,000 ac), or 60 km2 (23 mi2) of phosphate mining-related surface disturbance are documented in the spatial coverage. Spatial data for the inactive mines is current because no major changes have occurred; however, the spatial data for active mines were derived from digital maps prepared in early 2001 and therefore recent activity is not included. The inactive Gay Mine has the largest total area of disturbance, 1,900 hc (4,700 ac) or about 19 km2 (7.4 mi2). It encompasses over three times the disturbance area of the next largest mine, the Conda Mine with 610 hc (1,500 ac), and it is nearly four times the area of the Smoky Canyon Mine, the largest of the active mines with about 550 hc (1,400 ac). The wide range of phosphate mining-related surface disturbance features (141) from various industry maps were reduced to 15 types or features based on a generic classification system used for this study: mine pit; backfilled mine pit; waste rock dump; adit and waste rock dump; ore stockpile; topsoil stockpile; tailings or tailings pond; sediment catchment; facilities; road; railroad; water reservoir; disturbed land, undifferentiated; and undisturbed land. In summary, the spatial coverage includes polygons totaling about 1,100 hc (2,800 ac) of mine pits, 440 hc (1100 ac) of backfilled mine pits, 1,600 hc (3,800 ac) of waste rock dumps, 31 hc (75 ac) of ore stockpiles, and 44 hc (110 ac) of tailings or tailings ponds. Areas of undifferentiated phosphate mining-related land disturbances, called “disturbed land, undifferentiated,” total about 2,200 hc (5,500 ac) or nearly 22 km2 (8.6 mi2). No determination has been made as to status of reclamation on any of the lands. Subsequent site-specific studies to delineate distinct mine features will allow additional revisions to this spatial database. REVISIONS AND UPDATES This GIS compilation will not be revised and updated as new data become available. FILE AND DATA FORMATS Text files (.txt) may be viewed without special software. Hypertext mark-up language files (.htm) require a browser such as Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer. Adobe Portable Document Format files (.pdf) can be viewed with Acrobat Reader, a free application available from Adobe Systems Incorporated. Spatial databases require GIS software such as ArcReader, ArcView or ArcInfo. The spatial data files can be directly accessed by these applications. ArcView and ArcInfo are licensed applications that must be purchased. The vector spatial databases are coverages and shapefiles compiled in ArcInfo (versions 8.3 - 9.1, ESRI, 1999-2005), a commercial GIS, in a UTM, zone 12 map projection with the North American Datum of 1983. Each spatial database is accompanied by FGDC-compliant metadata. FILE ORGANIZATION Top level files: ds-223_data.zip - ArcInfo coverage and ArcGIS shapefiles and layer files in zip archive. Coverages and shapefiles are geospatial databases that are directly accessible to ESRI GIS software such as ArcMap or ArcView. Layer files provide a pre-defined cartographic view of the spatial databases using ArcMap. ds-223_metadata.zip -- zip archive of the ds-223_metadata directory (described below). ds-223_plate.pdf -- Map of mining-related features in 2001 at selected phosphate mines ds-223_readme.txt -- file that describes the product and its digital components (this file) ds-223_text.pdf -- Report, appendix, and illustrations Top level directories: \ds-223_export\ -- Contains phosmine01.e00, an ESRI interchange file for the PHOSMINE01 spatial database. The E00 file must be processed (imported) before using with GIS programs. To import the E00 file into a coverage using ArcGIS: ArcToolbox > Coverage Tools > Conversion > To Coverage > Import From Interchange File \ds-223_metadata\ -- Metadata files in HTML format for the coverage (and its two look-up tables), shapefiles, and layer files. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Windows - Intel Pentium or Xeon processor, 800 MHz minimum, 1.0GHz or higher recommended - Microsoft Windows XP, or Windows 2000, - 256 MB minimum of RAM, 512 MB or higher recommended - VGA color monitor that can display 256 colors (16.7 million colors recommended) UNIX - Almost any UNIX workstation should be capable of manipulating these files. All platforms - Web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Browser version 7.0 or greater. Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 or higher. - GIS software capable of reading ArcInfo coverages, such as such as ArcView, or ArcInfo is needed to take full advantage of the GIS- capabilities of this publication. QUICK START 1. Extract the files from the ds-223_data.zip archive. It will create a directory \ds-223_data\ and place the spatial data in that folder. All of the files are ready to use in GIS or relational database software programs (without having to process them first). 2. QUICK VIEW OF DATA: Open ArcMap and ADD any one of the ArcGIS layer files (LYR) to view pre-defined cartographic representations of the spatial databases. (The layer files reference a data source to display symbols and classifications for a specific view of the dataset.) 3. The PHOSMINE01 coverage in the directory \ds-223_data\ can be viewed using ArcInfo, ArcGIS, or ArcView; however, look-up tables (PHOSMINE01.LCD and PHOSMINE01.REF) must be joined to the coverage in order to associate linecode and source reference information to polygons and arcs. The table relationships and attribute definitions are described in the report. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors appreciate the assistance of the numerous phosphate-mining industry and land-management agency staff that provided input to this product. Susan Nash, J.R. Simplot Company, Steve Smith, Monsanto, Alan Haslam and Dan Kline, Agrium U.S., Inc., and Jim Williams, Astaris LLC, contributed time or supplied digital and hard copy maps that were used to create the ArcInfo coverage included in this report. Sam Hernandez, BIA, Fort Hall, Idaho, provided copies of mine maps, aerial photographs and a tour of the Gay Mine. Bill Lee (retired), Peter Oberlindacher (retired), Jeff Cundick, and Wendell Johnson, BLM, and Jeff Jones, USFS, provided information and maps of phosphate mining activity in southeastern Idaho. Thanks also to several USGS staff that provided timely and diligent technical reviews of and input on this report: Karen Bolm, Tucson, Ariz.; Lorre Moyer, Reno, Nev.; Dave Frank, Spokane, Wash.; and especially Pamela Derkey, Spokane, Wash. This publication is available ONLY online. The bibliographical reference for this publication is: Moyle Phillip R., and Kayser, Helen Z., 2006, Spatial database of mining-related features in 2001 at selected phosphate mines, Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, and Caribou Counties, Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 223 [available on the World Wide Web at URL http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/223/ ]. This report and any updates to it are available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/223/