AP Environmental Science Classes Visit Reclaimed Mine

Gonzaga’s AP Environmental Science classes took a trip to Prince William Forest Park, near Quantico, Virginia, on September 18. The park is home to the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine, which was in operation from 1889 to 1920, when Americans began to discover less expensive sources of sulfur overseas.

 

When the mine shut down, the company left piles of pyrite tailings along the banks of Quantico Creek, polluting the water and impacting the environment for years to come.  After the Clean Water Act passed in 1970, the National Park Service began working to reclaim the site. At the time, the pH of the water directly in front of the mine site was 2.8—the same as vinegar.

 

The trip was coordinated by the Bridging the Watershed Program, which is an educational partnership between the Alice Ferguson Foundation and the National Park Service. Students got the chance to walk around the site and analyze the water and soil near the former mine.

"Exploring the natural world first hand is the best way for students to learn about Environmental Science," says teacher Mr. John Ausema. "The students enjoyed—literally—getting their feet wet in the creek, meeting park scientists who were also monitoring water quality, and learning from a park ranger about the history of the park."

AP Environmental Science students will be taking another trip—to the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Southern Maryland—next month.