Laserfiche WebLink
Bureau of Land Management Decision Record <br /> Royal Gorge Field Office DOI-BLM-CO-F020-2018-0083-EA <br /> U.S.Department of the Interior <br /> Bureau of Land Management <br /> Royal Gorge Field Office <br /> DECISION RECORD <br /> Mining Plan of Operations Blue Bee Diggins Claim <br /> DOI-BLM-CO-F020-2018-0083-EA <br /> DECISION: It is my decision to authorize the Proposed Action as described in the attached EA. <br /> The proposed mining consists of a 2.0-acre barite placer operation for the extraction of barite <br /> crystals from a Pennsylvanian age sandy conglomerate that has been in production off and on <br /> since the 1940s.The operator proposes to utilize a medium-sized backhoe and/or skid loader to <br /> excavate several 6 x 4 foot prospecting pits,which have wall heights less than 4-feet.The <br /> operator intends to allow people to extract barite crystals from the designated prospecting pits <br /> using hand tools for a general fee, as well as sell mined materials in a local rock shop in Hartsel, <br /> CO. The proposed action will be similar to current exploration activities and disturbance <br /> footprint. Pit development will only occur along the eastern and southern edges of the 2.0 acres. <br /> Material removal is estimated to not exceed 20 tons per year. <br /> This decision is contingent on meeting all project design features and monitoring requirements <br /> listed in this decision. <br /> The mechanisms the BLM used to identify potential issues included internal scoping and posting <br /> this project on the National ePlanning website.Through this platform, both the Draft EA and the <br /> Plan of Operations were open for a 30-day public comment period in February and March 2019. <br /> BLM RGFO completed an Environmental Assessment and reached a Finding of No Significant <br /> Impact, as the selected alternative will have no significant effect. Therefore, an EIS will not be <br /> prepared. <br /> RATIONALE: The minerals associated with this subject area are open to the Mining Law of <br /> 1872 and under claim by the Operator.The proposed mining operation is located approximately <br /> 2-miles southwest of Hartsel, CO. A determination that the proposed action will not have an <br /> impact on the quality of the human environment and that undue or unnecessary degradation will <br /> be prevented is the basis for this rationale. <br /> MITIGATION MEASURES\MONITORING: <br /> No mitigation measures or monitoring needs have been identified for this action. However, the <br /> following project design features were identified by BLM: <br /> Decision Record-1 <br />