Credits

Created by: Kerry Skiff, Explore Natural Communities Intern, Summer 2017, NatureServe.

Sounds: Several People Chiseling Rock, by http://www.freesfx.co.uk. Licensed under Free Sound Effects agreement. Pickaxe, recorded by Benboncan (soundbible.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: Sampling Plus 1.0. Frog Croak, and Frog Splash, recorded by Explore Natural Communities Interns, Summer 2017, NatureServe. Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0.

Music: Adventure, Darling, by Gillicuddy (freemusicarchive.org). Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0.

Photo: Virginia Pine needles and pine cones, by 2017 Summer Interns. Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0.

References:
Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine (1889-1920)
Prince William Forest Park Topo Map in Prince William County VA
Sign at Pyrite Mine, Printed Pyrite Mine brochure, Prince William Forest Park

Transcript

Podcast time: 3:42 minutes

[cheerful music starts]

More than 100 years ago, one man's leisurely hike changed this Virginia landscape forever. John Detrick, a Maryland man, found pyrite, or fool's gold, in Quantico Creek. Even though pyrite looks like gold, it contains sulfur and iron, which made it a valuable mineral at the time. This small discovery inspired the thrill of a "fool's gold" rush, bringing in waves of people to a rapidly booming business—mining. In 1889 people began mining pyrite, and by 1908, a mining company with 300 employees had formed. Sulfur was in high demand, and pyrite provided the sulfur needed to make products like soap, paper, medicine, rubber, and gunpowder.

But by 1920, the market for pyrite had dropped, and the mine was closed.

Although it was no longer operating, the mine had already made a serious impact on the environment. [music turns melancholy] Since the shafts had not been sealed, rainwater flooded the tunnels, carrying out harmful acidic chemicals left behind from the mining operations. For years, the mine’s outflow of sulfuric acid polluted the soil and water of Quantico Creek, making it next to impossible for the ecosystem to recover. This not only devastated the area around the mine, it put everything downstream at risk of pollution, because the water from Quantico Creek runs into the Potomac River.

In 1995, more than 70 years after the mine was abandoned, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the National Park Service began a reclamation project. Contractors capped the mineshaft entrances with concrete, secured the creek bed from erosion, and covered the surrounding slopes with topsoil and lime to lower the acidity and buffer the soil. The next step established channels to divert rainwater runoff around the most polluted areas and away from Quantico Creek. Lastly, 5,000 native shrubs and trees, including Virginia pine  were planted to kickstart the growth of a new forest. Virginia pines can withstand higher levels of acidity in the environment. In fact, they are a natural pioneer species in many recovering forests. These restoration efforts resulted in a dramatic improvement in the water quality of Quantico Creek.

Decades later, we can see signs of the slow, gradual process of restoration in the landscape. Looking down, you'll notice patches of bryophytes like moss and hornwort, which are other pioneer species, covering the ground. These add moisture and nutrients to the soil when they begin to decay, paving the way for more plants to take root. The hope is that more kinds of plants will move in, creating a better habitat for animals like birds and butterflies [sound of birds].

If you pay attention, you can still see signs of the past around you. You may detect a slight sulfur-y smell of rotten eggs in the air, or notice the dry, light look of the soil. While decades of recovery have made a big difference, it will be a long time before this area returns to a diverse natural community. [cheerful music resumes and concludes]

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