INSPEC12202

• Permit No: M1994117
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: MINERALS PROGRAM INSPECTION REPORT
• Inspection Date: 9/25/1995
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

' . ~ • ( Page 2 )
MINE ID #` OR PROSPECTING ID #` H-94-117
INSPECTION DATE 9/25/95 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS ACS
OBSERVATIONS
Pre eeant for this inspection were Hark Steen, who owns land within a portion of the permit
area ae well as adjacent land, and Bob Mason, a resident of Gold Hill, and a representative
of the Committee on Mining and Environment within Gold Hill Town Meeting, Inc.
The primary purpose of this inspection was to investigate concerns raised by Bob Mason during
a phone conversation on September 14, 1995 that ie documented in a memo to the file dated
September 14, 1995 and in a letter from Mr. Mason dated September 15, 1995. A corrective
action specified in the 8/26/95 inspection report filed by the Division requires the operator
to pump water from behind the Hazel-A bulkhead up to the tailing impoundment. The purpose
of ttiie exercise ie to dispose of process water via evaporation. The water storage facility
behind the Hazel-A bulkhead should only be used for auxiliary storm water storage, and except
for brief periods of time following significant storms or snow melt, must be maintained in
an essentially dry condition. Water was being pumped from the Hazel-A to the tailing pond
at the time of this inspection. The south end of the pond was filled with water to a level
approximately 2 inches below the top of the south decant riser. It was discussed that if
this pool of water does not evaporate significantly within two weeks, that a spray system
would have to be installed to enhance evaporation. It ie reiterated that when the mill ie
inactive, evaporation ie the only permissible method available to the operator to dispose of
protease water. Any rainwater, enowmelt, or seepage water that enters the tailing pond or the
Hazel-A adit is process water. It ie imperative that this water be properly managed to
maxirnize evaporation in order to maintain sufficient storage capacity during the period that
the mill is inactive.
The water level behind the Hazel-A bulkhead was observed to be no more than few inches above
the :level of the slimes on the mill of the ad it. With the bulkheaded water at this low
level, no leaks through the bulkhead were visible. No water was discharging from the Hazel-A
ad it to Caeh Gulch at the time of this inspection.
With both valves in the decant line below the tailing dam opened, the cut-out valve in the
decant line was opened. No water discharged from the cut-out valve, indicating that the
decant piping ie intact.
Based on observations made during this inspection, the Division has determined that the
requi_remente detailed in PB ,#6 of the 8/26/95 inspection report are currently being met by
the operator.
Progress on the other corrective actions specified in the 8/26/95 inspection report was
chectced. The operator has armored the outlet of the sediment pond below and between the
tailing pond and mill building by placing rounded gravel into the outlet. This will achieve
the desired affect, but will probably have to be checked and maintained after significant
storm events. Ric Fanyo reported that 4 or 5 tandem axle dump truck loads of junk had been
hauled off the site since the time of the 8/26/95 inspection. There was a truck loaded with
junk on-site at the time of this inspection. The storm water diversion ditches above the
tailing pond were in the process of being deepened at the time of this inspection.