Petrologic and geochemical links between the post-collisional Proterozoic Harney Peak leucogranite, South Dakota, USA, and its source rocks

The Proterozoic terrane of the Black Hills, South Dakota, includes the composite Harney Peak leucogranite and associated pegmatites that were emplaced into metamorphosed pelites and graywackes. Available dates indicate that granite generation post-dated regional metamorphism and deformation that have been attributed to collision of the Wyoming and Superior cratons at 1760 Ma. Previous radiogenic and stable isotope work indicates that the exposed metasedimentary rocks are equivalent to sources of the leucogranites. In this study, whole rock and mineral compositions of the metasedimentary rocks were used to calculate the likely average residue mineralogies and melt fractions that would be generated by muscovite dehydration melting of the rocks. These were then used to model observed trace element compositions of the granites using published mineral/melt distribution coefficients. Model trace element melt compositions using pelitic and graywacke protoliths yield similar results.

The models reproduce well the observed depletion of transition metals and Ba in the granites relative to metasedimentary protoliths. The depletion is due mainly to high proportion of biotite with variable amounts of K-feldspar in the model residue. Sr is also depleted in the granites compared to source rocks, but to a lesser relative extent than Ba. This is because of the low biotite/melt distribution coefficient for Sr and because high proportion of plagioclase in the residue is compensated by high Sr concentrations in protoliths. Rubidium, Cs and Ta behaved as slightly compatible to incompatible elements, and therefore, were not strongly fractionated during melting. Of the considered elements, only B appears to have been highly incompatible relative to residue during melting. The protoliths had sufficient B to allow tourmaline crystallization in those parts of the Harney Peak Granite in which Ti concentration was sufficiently low not to enhance crystallization of biotite.

The reproducibility of observed trace element concentrations in the Harney Peak Granite by the models supports the often made proposition that metapelites and metagraywackes are common sources for leucogranites. This argues against mass input from the mantle into metagraywacke and metapelitic crustal sources or melting of amphibolites to generate the post-collisional Harney Peak and other similar peraluminous granite suites.     

Rb-Sr provenance ages from weathered and stream transported quartz grains from the Harney Peak Granite,Black Hills,South Dakota

Weathered quartz grus and stream transported quartz of the Harney Peak Granite, Black Hills, South Dakota, contain low concentrations of Rb (generally 0.3–6.8 ppm) and Sr (0.2–2.0 ppm) and variable Sr isotopic ratios (0.759–1.070).Six of seven single grains of large composite quartz grus which recently entered the weathering environment define an apparent isochron age (about 1800 Myr) and initial ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratio (0.7066) that approximate the whole-rock isochron age (1707 Myr) and initial ratio (0.7143) of the Harney Peak Granite. Apparently the Rb-Sr systematics of these grains were not significantly altered during initial weathering. Leached fluid inclusion material from a ca. 2 g aggregate of composite quartz grains contains very little Rb or Sr (0.019 and 0.17 μg, respectively) and has a very low ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratio (0.739). The Rb and Sr content of the quartz grains appears to be concentrated in minute, heterogeneously-distributed mineral inclusions.Five aggregates of more completely weathered, small non-composite quartz grains produce a widely scattered pattern on an isochron diagram with all samples plotting below the 1707 Myr isochron. Examination by SEM of these grains shows solution and precipitation features on their relatively large effective surface areas. The differential precipitation of Rb is believed to have been the major perturbating chemical process during weathering.Three aggregates of stream quartz grains define an apparent isochron age of 1777 Myr and an initial ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratio of 0.720 that suggest the initial ‘igneous’ Rb-Sr characteristics of the stream quartz were re-attained during their transportation, probably as a result of removal of the outer weathered surface by abrasion. The apparent resistance to chemical weathering of stream quartz and quartz which has just entered the weathering environment suggests that this mineral may be extremely useful in studies of provenance and the geochronology of strongly weathered terranes.     

Water quality impacts from mining in the Black Hills,South Dakota,USA

The focus of this research was to determine if abandoned mines constitute a major environmental hazard in the Black Hills. Many abandoned gold mines in the Black Hills contribute acid and heavy metals to streams. In some areas of sulfide mineralization local impacts are severe, but in most areas the impacts are small because most ore deposits consist of small quartz veins with few sulfides. Pegmatite mines appear to have negligible effects on water due to the insoluble nature of pegmatite minerals. Uranium mines in the southern Black Hills contribute some radioactivity to surface water, but the impact is limited because of the dry climate and lack of runoff in that area.     

Trace element constraints on pegmatite genesis: Tin Mountain pegmatite,Black Hills,South Dakota

The Tin Mountain pegmatite is a small, zoned granitic body that is extremely enriched in Rb and Li, but has moderate concentrations of Sr and Ba. These trace elements are modelled using granitic distribution coefficients in order to test the potentials of partial melting of metasedimentary rocks and fractionation of a less-evolved granitic melt to have produced the parental liquid to the Tin Mountain pegmatite. Batch melting of any reasonable metasedimentary source rock would likely have yielded melts that were either insufficiently enriched in Rb and Li to be the parental liquid, or that had Sr and Ba concentrations that were much higher than those estimated for the parental liquid. The modelling of simple fractional crystallization and equilibrium crystallization of a granitic melt within the compositional range of the spatially associated Harney Peak Granite gives calculated melt compositions with either lower Sr and Ba concentrations or inadequate Rb and Li enrichments, to be the parent liquid of the pegmatite. At least two variants from simple crystal-liquid fractionation models can, however, successfully account for the derivation of the parent liquid: 1) generation of a Rb-, Li-, Ba- and Sr-rich granitic melt (outside of the compositional range of the sampled portions of the Harney Peak Granite complex) by low degrees of partial melting of metasedimentary rocks found in the Black Hills, followed by moderate extents of fractional or equilibrium crystallization, 2) derivation from Harney Peak granite via a complex, multi-stage crystal-liquid fractionation process, such as progressive equilibrium crystallization.     

Crystallization conditions and evolution of magmatic fluids in the Harney Peak Granite and associated pegmatites, Black Hills, South Dakota—Evidence from fluid inclusions

A microthermometric study of inclusions in granites and pegmatites in the Proterozoic Harney Peak Granite system identified four types of inclusions. Type 1 inclusions are mixtures of CO₂ and H₂O and have low salinities, on average 3.5 wt.% NaCl_eq; type 2 inclusions are aqueous solutions of variable salinities, from 0 to 40% wt.% NaCl_eq; type 3 inclusions are carbonic, dominated by CO₂, with no detectable water; and type 4 inclusions consist of 20 to 100% solids, with the remaining volume occupied by a CO₂-H₂O fluid. Many inclusions have a secondary character; however, a primary character can be unambiguously established in several occurrences of the type 1 inclusions. These inclusions were trapped above the solidus and represent the exsolved magmatic fluid. The secondary populations of types 1, 2, and 3 probably formed as a result of reequilibration and unmixing of the type 1 fluid that progressively changed composition and density with decreasing temperature and pressure and was finally trapped along healed microfractures under subsolidus conditions. Type 4 inclusions are primary and are interpreted to be trapped, fluid-bearing, complex silicate melts that subsequently solidified or underwent other posttrapping changes.It is demonstrated that primary type 1 fluid inclusions that coexist with crystallized melt inclusions in the complex, Li-bearing Tin Mountain pegmatite were trapped along the two-fluid phase boundary in the system CO₂-H₂O-NaCl_eq. Consequently, the temperature and pressure conditions of trapping are identical to the bulk homogenization conditions—on average 340°C and 2.7 kbar. These conditions indicate that this Li-, Cs-, Rb-, P-, and B-rich pegmatite crystallized at some of the lowest known temperatures for a silicate melt in the crust. An internally consistent, empirical solvus surface in P-T-X_CO2 coordinates was generated for the pseudobinary CO₂-(H₂O-4.3 wt.% NaCl_eq) pegmatite fluid system. Distribution coefficients for the major species CO₂, H₂O, NaCl, and CH₄ between the immiscible CO₂-rich and H₂O-rich fluid phases as a function of pressure and temperature were extracted from data for the two cogenetic fluid inclusions types.     

Nd, O and Sr isotopic constraints on the origin of Precambrian rocks, Southern Black Hills, South Dakota

The Nd, O and Sr isotopic characteristics of Precambrian metasedimentary, metavolcanic and granitic rocks from the Black Hills of South Dakota are examined. Two late-Archean granites (2.5-2.6 Ga) have T_dm ages of 3.05 and 3.30 Ga, suggesting that at least one of the granites was derived through the melting of significantly older crust. Early-Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks have T_dm ages that range from 2.32 to 2.45 Ga. These model ages, in conjunction with probable stratigraphic ages ranging from 1.9 to 2.2 Ga, indicate that mantle-derived material was added to the continental crust of this region during the early-Proterozoic. Previous studies of the Harney Peak Granite complex have reported U-Pb and Rb-Sr ages of about 1.71 Ga and most granite samples examined in this study have Sr isotopic compositions consistent with that age. Two granite samples taken from the same sill, however, give two-point Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd ages of 2.08 ±0.08 and 2.20 ±0.20 Ga (∑²²⁰⁰_Nd = −15.5), respectively. In addition, whole-rock and apatite samples of the spatially associated Tin Mountain pegmatite give a Sm-Nd isochron age of 2000 ±100 Ma (∑²²⁰⁰_Nd = −5.8 ±1.8).

The Sm-Nd, O and Rb-Sr isotopic systematics of these granitic rocks have been complicated to some degree by both crystallization and post-crystallization processes, and the age of the pegmatite and parts of the Harney Peak Granite complex remain uncertain. Processes that probably complicated the isotopic systematics of these rocks include derivation from heterogeneous source material, assimilation, mixing of REE between granite and country rock during crystallization via a fluid phase and post-crystallization mobility of Sr. The Nd isotopic compositions of the pegmatite and the Harney Peak Granite indicate that they were not derived primarily from the exposed metasedimentary rocks.     

Genesis of monazite and Y zoning in garnet from the Black Hills, South Dakota

The paragenesis of monazite in metapelitic rocks from the contact aureole of the Harney Peak Granite, Black Hills, South Dakota, was investigated using zoning patterns of monazite and garnet, electron microprobe dating of monazite, bulk-rock compositions, and major phase mineral equilibria. The area is characterized by low-pressure and high-temperature metamorphism with metamorphic zones ranging from garnet to sillimanite zones. Garnet porphyroblasts containing euhedral Y annuli are observed from the garnet to sillimanite zones. Although major phase mineral equilibria predict resorption of garnet at the staurolite isograd and regrowth at the andalusite isograd, textural and mass balance analyses suggest that the formation of the Y annuli is not related to the resorption-and-regrowth of garnet having formed instead during garnet growth in the garnet zone. Monazite grains in Black Hills pelites were divided into two generations on the basis of zoning patterns of Y and U: monazite 1 with low-Y and -U and monazite 2 with high-Y and -U. Monazite 1 occurs in the garnet zone and persists into the sillimanite zone as cores shielded by monazite 2 which starts to form in the andalusite zone. Pelites containing garnet porphyroblasts with Y annuli and monazite 1 with patchy Th zoning are more calcic than those with garnet with no Y annuli and monazite with concentric Th zoning. Monazite 1 is attributed to breakdown of allanite in the garnet zone, additionally giving rise to the Y annuli observed in garnet. Monazite 2 grows in the andalusite zone, probably at the expense of garnet and monazite 1 in the andalusite and sillimanite zones. The ages of the two different generations of monazite are within the precision of chemical dating of electron microprobe. The electron microprobe ages of all monazites from the Black Hills show a single ca. 1713 Ma population, close to the intrusion age of the Harney Peak Granite (1715 Ma). This study demonstrates that Y zoning in garnet and monazite are critical to the interpretation of monazite petrogenesis and therefore monazite ages.     

REE-Depleted Leucogranites, Black Hills, South Dakota: a Consequence of Disequilibrium Melting of Monazite-Bearing Schists

Two isotopically distinct but otherwise chemically similar leucogranitesuites in the Proterozoic Horney Peak Granite, Black Hills,South Dakota, have contrasting light rare earth element (LREE)concentrations. Most samples of a relatively ¹⁸O-depleted suitehave LREE- enriched, chondrite-normalized patterns, typicalof melts derived from metasedimentary protoliths, whereas allsamples of the regionally significant, relatively ¹⁸O-enrichedsuite have LREE-depleted patterns. The latter patterns are interpretedto have resulted from disequilibrium melting of schists. Monaziteand perhaps other accessory minerals remained armored by biotiteand garnet which did not partake in the muscovite dehydration-meltingreaction that produced LREE-depleted melts. The REE concentrationsin the LREE-depleted samples are below saturation levels formonazite at reasonable melting temperatures and melt water contents,whereas the REE concentrations in the LREE-enriched samplesyield 700–800C monazite saturation temperatures, reasonablefor biotite dehydration-melting reactions. LREE depletions,analogous to those in the LREE-depleted granites, are also foundin leucosomes of partially molten schists, thought to be theprotolith for the granite. In contrast, the melanosomes holdthe accessory minerals and bulk of the LREEs. KEY WORDS: accessory minerals; leucogranites; Black Hills; monazite; partial melting ^*Corresponding author at Department of Geological Sciences, University of Missouri. Telephone: 314-884-6463. Fax: 314-882-5458. e-mail: geolpin{at}showme.missouri.edu.     

U–Pb ages of Neoarchean granitoids from the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA: implications for crustal evolution in the Archean Wyoming province

Zircons in basement rocks from the eastern Wyoming province (Black Hills, South Dakota, USA) have been analyzed by ion microprobe (SHRIMP) in order to determine precise ages of Archean tectonomagmatic events. In the northern Black Hills (NBH) near Nemo, Phanerozoic and Proterozoic (meta)sedimentary rocks are nonconformably underlain by Archean biotite–feldspar gneiss (BFG) and Little Elk gneissic granite (LEG), both of which intrude older schists. The Archean granitoid gneisses exhibit a pervasive NW–SE-trending fabric, whereas an earlier NE–SW-trending fabric occurs sporadically only in the BFG, which is intruded by the somewhat younger LEG. Zircon crystals obtained from the LEG and BFG exhibit double terminations, oscillatory zoning, and Th/U ratios of 0.6±0.3—thereby confirming a magmatic origin for both lithologies. In situ analysis of the most U–Pb concordant domains yields equivalent ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages (upper intercept, U–Pb concordia) of 2559±6 and 2563±6 Ma (both ±2σ) for the LEG and BFG, respectively, which constrains a late Neoarchean age for sequential pulses of magmatism in the NBH. Unzoned (in BSE) patches of 2560 Ma zircon commonly truncate coeval zonation in the same crystals with no change in Th/U ratio, suggesting that deuteric, fluid-assisted recrystallization accompanied post-magmatic cooling. A xenocrystic core of magmatic zircon observed in one LEG zircon yields a concordant age of 2894±6 Ma (±2σ). This xenocryst represents the oldest crustal material reported thus far in the Black Hills. Whether this older zircon originated as unmelted residue of 2900 Ma crust that potentially underlies the Black Hills or as detritus derived from 2900 Ma crustal sources in the Wyoming province cannot be discerned. In the southern Black Hills (SBH), the peraluminous granite at Bear Mountain (BMG) of previously unknown age intrudes biotite–plagioclase schist. Zircon crystals from the BMG are highly metamict and altered, but locally preserve small domains suitable for in situ analysis. A U–Pb concordia upper intercept age of 2596±11 Ma (±2σ) obtained for zircon confirms both the late Neoarchean magmatic age of the BMG and a minimum age for the schist it intrudes. Taken together, these data indicate that the Neoarchean basement granitoids were emplaced at 2590–2600 Ma (SBH) and 2560 Ma (NBH), most likely in response to subduction associated with plate convergence (final assembly of supercontinent Kenorland?). In contrast, thin rims present on some LEG–BFG zircons exhibit strong U–Pb discordance, high common Pb, and low Th/U ratios—suggesting growth or modification under hydrothermal conditions, as previously suggested for similar zircons from SE Wyoming. The LEG–BFG zircon rims yield a nominal upper intercept date of 1940–2180 Ma, which may represent a composite of multiple rifting events known to have affected the Nemo area between 2480 and 1960 Ma. Together, these observations confirm the existence of a Paleoproterozoic rift margin along the easternmost Wyoming craton. Moreover, the 2480–1960 Ma time frame inferred for rifting in the Black Hills (Nemo area) corresponds closely to a 2450–2100 Ma time frame previously inferred for the fragmentation of supercontinent Kenorland.     

Chemistry of potassium feldspars from three zoned pegmatites,Black Hills,South Dakota: Implications concerning pegmatite evolution

An initial phase of an extensive geochemical study of pegmatites from the Black Hills, South Dakota, indicates potassium feldspar composition is useful in interpreting petrogenetic relationships among pegmatites and among pegmatite zones within a single pegmatite. The $\text{K}\text{Rb}$ and $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ ratios and Li and Cs contents of the feldspars within each zoned pegmatite, to a first approximation, are consistent with the simple fractional crystallization of the potassium feldspar from a silicate melt from the wall zone to the core of the pegmatites. Some trace element characteristics (i.e. Cs) have been modified by subsolidus reequilibration of the feldspars with late-stage residual fluid.$\text{K}\text{Rb}$ ratios of the potassium feldspar appear to be diagnostic of the pegmatite mineral assemblage. The relationship between $\text{K}\text{Rb}$ and mineralogy is as follows: Harney Peak Granite (barren pegmatites) > 180; Li-Fe-Mn phosphate-bearing pegmatites = 90?50; spodumene-bearing pegmatites = 60?40; pollucitebearing pegmatites < 30. Although the $\text{K}\text{Rb}$ ratios suggest that the pegmatites studied are genetically related by fractional crystallization to each other and the Harney Peak Granite, overlapping $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ ratios and the general increase in Sr and Ba with decreasing $\text{K}\text{Rb}$ indicate the genetic relationship is much more complex and may also be dependent upon slight variations in source (chemistry and mineralogy) material composition and degrees of partial melting.     

Osteichthyans from the Fairpoint Member of the Fox Hills Formation (Maastrichtian), Meade County, South Dakota, USA

The Fairpoint Member of the Fox Hills Formation (upper Maastrichtian) in Meade County, South Dakota, USA, contains an osteichthyan assemblage indicative of transitional to marine shoreface deposits. The fauna consists of: Lepisosteus sp., Paralbula casei, Cylindracanthus cf. C. ornatus, Enchodus gladiolus, Hadrodus sp., and indeterminate osteichthyans with probable affinities to the Siluriformes and Beryciformes. The Fairpoint fauna is of limited species diversity and in this character mirrors many other Upper Cretaceous North American osteichthyan assemblages. Comparison to Upper Cretaceous chondrichthyan diversity and consideration of the structure of Cretaceous marine food webs suggest that osteichthyans are strongly under-represented in the Upper Cretaceous of North America. The small size and poor preservation potential of many Upper Cretaceous North American osteichthyans probably account for much of this observed paucity. Fairpoint osteichthyans are members of families that survive the Cretaceous–Paleocene boundary extinction event. Some of these genera and families are still extant and occur in a wide array of modern fresh, brackish, and shallow marine environments.     

Use of geochemical tracers for estimating groundwater influxes to the Big Sioux River,eastern South Dakota,USA

Understanding the spatial distribution and variability of geochemical tracers is crucial for estimating groundwater influxes into a river and can contribute to better future water management strategies. Because of the much higher radon (²²²Rn) activities in groundwater compared to river water, ²²²Rn was used as the main tracer to estimate groundwater influxes to river discharge over a 323-km distance of the Big Sioux River, eastern South Dakota, USA; these influx estimates were compared to the estimates using Cl^? concentrations. In the reaches overall, groundwater influxes using the ²²²Rn activity approach ranged between 0.3 and 6.4 m³/m/day (mean 1.8 m³/m/day) and the cumulative groundwater influx estimated during the study period was 3,982–146,594 m³/day (mean 40,568 m³/day), accounting for 0.2–41.9% (mean 12.5%) of the total river flow rate. The mean groundwater influx derived using the ²²²Rn activity approach was lower than that calculated based on Cl^? concentration (35.6 m³/m/day) for most of the reaches. Based on the Cl^? approach, groundwater accounted for 37.3% of the total river flow rate. The difference between the method estimates may be associated with minimal differences between groundwater and river Cl^? concentrations. These assessments will provide a better understanding of estimates used for the allocation of water resources to sustain agricultural productivity in the basin. However, a more detailed sampling program is necessary for accurate influx estimation, and also to understand the influence of seasonal variation on groundwater influxes into the basin.     

Sediment pore-water interactions associated with arsenic and uranium transport from the North Cave Hills mining region,South Dakota,USA

The extent of historical U mining impacts is well documented for the North Cave Hills region of Harding County, South Dakota, USA. While previous studies reported watershed sediment and surface water As and U concentrations up to 90× established background concentrations, it was unclear whether or how localized changes in sediment redox behavior may influence contaminant remobilization. Five pore-water equilibration samplers (peepers) were spatially and temporally deployed within the study area to evaluate seasonal solid–liquid As and U distributions as a function of sediment depth. Pore-water and solid phase As and U concentrations, Fe speciation, Eh and pH were measured to ascertain specific geochemical conditions responsible for As and U remobilization and transport behavior. At a mine overburden sedimentation pond adjacent to the mine sites, high total aqueous As and U concentrations (4920 and 674 μg/L, respectively) were found within surface water during summer sampling; however pond dredging prior to autumn sampling resulted in significantly lower aqueous As and U concentrations (579 and 108 μg/L, respectively); however, both As and U still exceeded regional background concentrations (20 and 18 μg/L, respectively). At a wetlands-dominated deposition zone approximately 2 km downstream of the sedimentation pond, pore-water geochemical conditions varied seasonally. Summer conditions promoted reducing conditions in pore water, resulting in active release of As(III) to the water column. Autumn conditions promoted oxidizing conditions, decreasing pore-water As (As_pw) 5× and increasing U_pw 10×. Peak U pore-water concentrations (781 μg/L) were 3.5× greater than determined for the surface water (226 μg/L), and approximately 40× background concentrations. At the Bowman–Haley reservoir backwaters 45 km downstream from the mine sites, As and U pore-water concentrations increased significantly between the summer and autumn deployments, attributed to increased Fe reduction processes. Geochemical modeling suggests solid-phase Fe reduction promotes the liberation of pore-water As and U via suppressing the formation of thioarsenite. Intermittent hydrological processes facilitate As and U transport and deposition throughout the watershed, while biogeochemical-influenced redox changes cycle As and U between pore and surface water within localized environments.     

Hydrogeology of the vicinity of Homestake mine, South Dakota, USA

The former Homestake mine in South Dakota (USA) cuts fractured metamorphic rock over a region several km² in plan, and plunges to the SE to a depth of 2.4 km. Numerical simulations of the development and dewatering of the mine workings are based on idealizing the mine-workings system as two overlapping continua, one representing the open drifts and the other representing the host rock with hydrologic properties that vary with effective stress. Equating macroscopic hydrologic properties with characteristics of deformable fractures allows the number of parameters to be reduced, and it provides a physically based justification for changes in properties with depth. The simulations explain important observations, including the co-existence of shallow and deep flow systems, the total dewatering flow rate, the spatial distribution of in-flow, and the magnitude of porosity in the mine workings. The analysis indicates that a deep flow system induced by ~125 years of mining is contained within a surface-truncated ellipsoid roughly 8 km by 4 km in plan view and 5.5 km deep with its long-axis aligned to the strike of the workings. Groundwater flow into the southern side of the workings is characterized by short travel times from the ground surface, whereas flow into the northern side and at depth consists of old water removed from storage.     

Laboratory testing of trace metals removal from mine drainage and arsenic removal from groundwater in the Black Hills of South Dakota

The Gilt Edge Superfund Site is a former heap-leach gold mine that currently is being remediated in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Mine runoff water is treated before release from the site. The field pH, before treatment, is about 3; the water contains arsenic at low levels and some trace metals at elevated levels, in addition to total dissolved solids concentrations of more than 1,900 mg/L. In the Keystone area of the Black Hills, naturally occurring arsenic has been detected at elevated concentrations in groundwater samples from wells. The City of Keystone’s Roy Street Well, which is not used currently, showed arsenic concentrations of 36 parts per billion and total dissolved solids of 320 mg/L. With field samples of water from the Gilt Edge site, a limestone-based method was successful in reducing trace metals concentrations to about 0.001 mg/L or less; at the Keystone site, the limestone method reduced arsenic levels to about 0.006 mg/L. The results are significant because previous research with the limestone-based method mainly had involved samples prepared with distilled water in the laboratory, in which interference of other ions such as sulfate did not occur. The research indicates the potential for broader applications of the limestone-based removal method, including scale-up work at field sites for water treatment.