Another Shasta County abandoned mine has been added to the Federal EPA Superfund National Priorities List. The Afterthought Mine is located in the Ingot area between Bella Vista and Round Mountain. Its historic structures can be seen by drivers on Highway 299 across Little Cow Creek. The Afterthought Mine was in operation from 1862 to 1952 and, like the Iron Mountain Mine near Keswick, the Afterthought produced multiple metals. Various methods of extracting Copper, Zinc, Lead, Silver and Gold left the soil contaminated and has been leaching into Little Cow Creek, which is considered critical habitat for Steelhead Trout. The EPA says eating fish caught near the mine site could be unhealthy. Hundreds of Millions of Dollars has been spent since the 1980s on Shasta County’s other superfund site, the 4,400 Acre Iron Mountain Mine, where more than 6 Billion Gallons of acidic drainage has been treated and more than 11 Million Pounds of Zinc and Copper has been removed.
-Steve Gibson