INSPEC05037 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• (Page 2) • MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-78-091 UG INSPECTION DATE 7 2_( 1199 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO OBSERVATIONS This partial inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of high priority 110 DMO permits. The operator was contacted about the inspection and was present onsite during the inspection. Only the 6 level pad area was inspected. The site is not currently being actively operated due to the depressed price of gold. The operator stated that mining last occurred in May 1999, with the last ore shipment occurring in June 1999. The ore storage location adjacent to Vickers Ranch parking lot presently holds thirteen one-ton sacks of ore. These sacks are a woven plastic fabric, and tied or clipped closed at the top. This partial closure allows some entry of meteoric water, which will percolate out of the sack after ore saturation. The summer precipitation has been ample and regular, and it is recommended that these sacks be forged if they are to be left at this location for any additional time. The operator will provide a WRITTEN follow up statement describing such forging or weatherproofing. The site is secured behind two locked gates along the access road, but no further stabilization activities were preformed when site activity ceased two months ago. Most of the mining equipment is present, the onsite storage and shelter facility (doghouse) is well-stocked and open, and the 6 level portal was open. No spilled or leaked fluid was evident. A small amount of discharge was observed leaving the portal, all of it entering the sumps along the cut wall. The water is fairly clear, though the fine sediments in the sump and rock on the sump walls are orange/yellow stained (ironl. All water is percolating at the same rate of filling the sump; there was a depth of six inches or less of water in the lower sump. The newly placed mine waste at the NW end of the pad still does not occupy much of the pad area. There is, however, a small screen placed on the waste pile, to process the sloughing colluvium at the NW end of the pad. Coarse material is used for the floor of the drift, with finer material segregated for pad surfacing. Some of this stockpiled material was seen at the SE end of the pad near the gulch, and some of the pad surface itself exhibited a layer of this material. Pad surface was smooth with little puddling or rutting evident. Part of this improved pad surface condition may be attributed to the drainaae slot which the operator has recently cut in the shoulder of the pad behind the doghouse. Drainage there has been directed off the pad and down the slope. Gully erosion has cut into the slope to a depth of one foot or more. The gullying has intercepted and cut through the series of terraces also. The drainaae of the pad surface and the terraces are not to be compromised in this manner. since as part of the reguired Environmental Protection Facilities IEPFsI of this DMO operation, these approved structures and their specific functions cannot be modified simgly to suit the desires of the operator. This condition was discussed with the operator. who stated that it would be remedied soon. This is being noted as a problem in this report, as shown on pace one under the topics of "erosion and sedimentation" and "hydrologic balance". Please see the last pane for a corrective action date. The berm at the edge of the pad must be mended. and drainage remedied by grading material on the pad surface, according to the Environmental Protection Plan IEPPI. Likewise, maintenance must be performed on the terraces. which are part of the EPP. A second similar problem was noted alono the location of the natural drainage line of Deadman Gulch. At the SE end of the pad at the gulch, the operator has placed about 20 to 30 cubic yards of pray waste rock fill in such a manner as to block the Gulch drainage. There is evidence that runon and slow drainaae has occurred after such fill was placed here. This is the same material that is reguired to be placed in lifts at the opposite end of the pad, in such a manner that no uncontrolled runoff or sedimentation occurs. Though surface water flow is intermittent at this location on the gulch, the EPP requires that the gulch drainage be isolated from waste material or mineralized material. The nature of the fill material, potential for pollutants to contact surface water andlor groundwater, or sediment to be carried offsite. and the specified restrictions in the operator's approved EPP, must be understood to constitute reasons to not carry out such placement of fill. This is noted as a problem on page one, under the topics of "hydrologic balance". "general mine plan compliance" and "backfill and Grading". Please see the last pane for the corrective action date. This material must be removed from its present location where it may contact surface water. If fill material is desired at that location, it must be benign, coarse enough to not contribute potential sediment to runoff; and not impound water by virtue of a raised drainage gradient. Fill material may be placed at that end of the pad, but not directly in the natural drainage. If some of such fill material is to