2022-02-11_PERMIT FILE - C1981018A ‎(3)‎

• Permit No: C1981018A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 2/11/2022
• Section_Exhibit Name: Section V. Mine Surface Facilities Reclamation Plan
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

V. MINE SURFACE FACILITIES RECLAMATION PLAN
V.A Water Quantity and Quality Control Plan
V.A.1 Water Quantity Control Plan The principal source of water for the mine is a fresh water
lagoon along the White River. Secondary sources are water pumped out of the alluvial wells, the
mine and runoff trapped in sedimentation ponds.
BME currently has adequate water rights to operate the facility. These are:
a. Moon Lake Pipeline - Case Nos. W-29781CW236 and 90CW154, 6.0 cfs decreed absolute
7/20/71, 0.3 cfs conveyed to BME with point of diversion to well gallery, 1/12/82. The point
of diversion was subsequently changed to the pump at the fresh water lagoon on 11/26/90.
b. Deserado Mine Water System - Case Nos. 80CW493, 85CW117 and 89CW079, 0.5 cfs
absolute, ground water mine excavation, 5/9/90.
C. Gross-Nichols Ditch - Case Nos. CA617, CA624 and 91 CW021, not to exceed 0.333 cfs
decreed absolute 5/5/92. The point of diversion is at the pump at the fresh water lagoon.
d. Moon Lake-Staley Mine Pipeline and Reservoir, and Enlargement of Moon Lake-Staley
Mine Pipeline and Reservoir. Case Nos. CA1269, W-2937, 80CW186, 84CW147,
88CW154 and 91CW036. Change of 0.3 cfs (conditional) to the fresh water lagoon pump
for fully consumptive industrial and mining purposes. BME also has 180 cfs of conditional
non-consumptive water right under these cases.
The mine facility water system has been designed to recover, treat, and reuse most of the waste
water produced by the facility. Only enough water is taken from outside sources to make up for
unavoidable or accidental losses. The maximum amount of makeup water estimated to be required
is 552 acre-feet per year or 0.763 cfs or 180,000,000 gallons. The figure was projected to be 598
acre-feet during the initial mine permitting.
Sedimentation ponds and sumps are constructed to meet Section 4.05.6 requirements for the
protection of the quality of runoff from areas disturbed by mining operations. Water storage rights
are obtained prior to the construction of ponds that may retain runoff to impact senior water right
holders.
In order to operate the mine facilities at the production schedule envisioned, the mine needs a
consumptive water right of 0.8 cfs diverted near the Staley-Gordon mine and water storage rights
for four ponds with a total combined maximum capacity of 22.4 acre-feet and a total surface area of
6 acres.
TR-72 (07/2019) V-1