The Iron Woman Mining team is proud to accept the AGC ACE Silver award, category Meeting the Challenges of a Difficult Project- Specialty Contractor. The Waldorf mine closure and water reclamation project was the winner in the second category of the ACE awards and was the only horizontal construction project submitted out of the 76 entries.

The abandoned Waldorf Mine, near Georgetown, Colorado, sits at 11,600 feet above sea level. Contaminated water discharges from the mine feeding into Leavenworth Creek, flowing through Arapahoe National Forest and other downstream watersheds. The Iron Woman Mining team constructed a Passive Water Management System that naturally cleans water through a series of lined channels and ponds, with stabilized water then descending into downstream watersheds. The system aesthetically blends into the surrounding landscape, requiring no electricity or long-term maintenance. Iron Woman considers Passive Water Management Systems an innovation that could benefit many abandoned mines, protecting our critical water resources.

Throughout the project, the Iron Woman Mining team encountered numerous and significant challenges, including extreme weather, high altitude, delicate terrain, and restrictive access roads. The team was able to maintain collaboration with the client and deliver the project safely and successfully on time with very little need for inspection or change.

Iron Woman partnered with Trout Unlimited (client), Wenck Engineering (Project Engineer), and United States Forest Service (owner). The solutions provided will protect Colorado’s precious water resources for generations to come, allowing the area to heal and the ecosystem to return to its natural, healthy state.