Henry's Knob
Encyclopedia
Henry's Knob is a mountain and Superfund
Alternative Site in York County
South Carolina
at 1120 ft (341.4 m) above sea level. It is near the North Carolina border and the town of Clover, South Carolina
. The mountain was the site of an open-pit kyanite
mine, which was under operation from 1947 to 1970. At the time of its discovery, the deposit of kyanite on the mountain was the world's largest United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) testing has determined that approximately 450 residences in the vicinity relying on well water are affected by groundwater contamination from the former mine. The mountain was stripped of approximately 100 feet (30.5 m) due to the mining
operations. Today, the site is overgrown, with many pits and waste ponds still evident. While some efforts have been made to repopulate the site with vegetation, little cleanup of the dangerous minerals (including Manganese
) has been done.
was still part of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
, and was not ceded to South Carolina
until 1772.
In the 19th century the portion of the original Henry estate including the mountain was inherited by a female Henry descendant and was eventually sold out of the family prior to the Civil War.
A company named Commercial Ores mined the Henry's Knob site during the 1950s and 60s. Combustion Engineering
acquired Commercial Ores in 1965 and then sold it in 1971. The mountain has been transferred between several property owners since then. ABB acquired Combustion Engineering in 1990, long after mining ceased.
The EPA identified ABB as the "successor of interest" and a potentially responsible party. The agency asked ABB to conduct an investigation of the Henry's Knob site and surrounding area to identify pollution
, including the nature and extent of acid mine drainage
that has entered the environment as a result of previous mining activities. The investigation work plan is on file at the Clover Public Library, along with other documents pertaining to the site.
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
Alternative Site in York County
York County, South Carolina
York County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...
South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
at 1120 ft (341.4 m) above sea level. It is near the North Carolina border and the town of Clover, South Carolina
Clover, South Carolina
Clover is a town in York County, South Carolina, United States located in the greater Charlotte, North Carolina metropolitan area. As of July 2009, the population was at 5,158 within the town limits....
. The mountain was the site of an open-pit kyanite
Kyanite
Kyanite, whose name derives from the Greek word kuanos sometimes referred to as "kyanos", meaning deep blue, is a typically blue silicate mineral, commonly found in aluminium-rich metamorphic pegmatites and/or sedimentary rock. Kyanite in metamorphic rocks generally indicates pressures higher than...
mine, which was under operation from 1947 to 1970. At the time of its discovery, the deposit of kyanite on the mountain was the world's largest United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) testing has determined that approximately 450 residences in the vicinity relying on well water are affected by groundwater contamination from the former mine. The mountain was stripped of approximately 100 feet (30.5 m) due to the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
operations. Today, the site is overgrown, with many pits and waste ponds still evident. While some efforts have been made to repopulate the site with vegetation, little cleanup of the dangerous minerals (including Manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
) has been done.
History
Henry's Knob name derives from the Henry family, early settlers of York County who originally owned the mountain and surrounding land. In 1765 William Henry was granted 336 acres (1.4 km²) on the south side of the Little Mountain, as Henry's Knob was then called, and four years later he was granted another 100 acre (0.404686 km²). At this time northern York CountyYork County, South Carolina
York County is a county located in the north-central section of the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2010 census, the county's population was 226,073. It is the second largest county in the Charlotte metropolitan area...
was still part of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...
, and was not ceded to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
until 1772.
In the 19th century the portion of the original Henry estate including the mountain was inherited by a female Henry descendant and was eventually sold out of the family prior to the Civil War.
A company named Commercial Ores mined the Henry's Knob site during the 1950s and 60s. Combustion Engineering
Combustion Engineering
Combustion Engineering was an American engineering firm and leading firm in the development of power systems in the United States with approximately 30,000 employees in about a dozen states at its peak. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, C-E owned over two dozen other companies including...
acquired Commercial Ores in 1965 and then sold it in 1971. The mountain has been transferred between several property owners since then. ABB acquired Combustion Engineering in 1990, long after mining ceased.
The EPA identified ABB as the "successor of interest" and a potentially responsible party. The agency asked ABB to conduct an investigation of the Henry's Knob site and surrounding area to identify pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
, including the nature and extent of acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage , or acid rock drainage , refers to the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines. However, other areas where the earth has been disturbed may also contribute acid rock drainage to the environment...
that has entered the environment as a result of previous mining activities. The investigation work plan is on file at the Clover Public Library, along with other documents pertaining to the site.