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Keffelew, Berhan <br />From: Keffelew, Berhan <br />Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005 5:41 AM <br />To: Humphries, Bruce <br />Cc: Posey, Harry <br />Subject: CC&V <br />Sensitivity: Private <br />Chief, <br />As I told you yesterday, I received a call from CC&V around 9:OOa.m reporting a cyanide spill <br />outside the containment area. I canceled the rest of my inspections for the day and drove to the <br />site. On the way I called you to let you know what happened and that the spill was not a <br />reportable quantity under the Board approved Amendment # 8. Under that approval at the <br />request of CC&V and with the blessing of all of us, the reporting criteria was changed to the EPA <br />guidelines for Cyanide, which is anything in excess of 10 Ibs of sodium cyanide, anything below <br />that is not required to be reported. (Under the concentration they are applying that translates to <br />approximately 1500 gallons) However, we had insisted that any spill outside of the containment <br />area MUST be reported, and the Division will make the decision whether to visit the site or not. <br />Under that agreement the mine reported the spill. The spill occurred at the edge of Phase IVC, at <br />an elevation of 9450 along the interface are. It was not due to any operations error. We will find <br />out the cause today, based on the meeting and as built diagrams we looked at with Dr. John <br />Lupo, Golder and Associates project manger , it was determined the likeliest cause of the spill <br />appeared to be, the road used to place the drain cover was compacted more than it should have <br />been and caused a damming effect at that elevation, and caused the solution to back up and spill <br />over the 15 foot buffer lined zone that is in place. The total spill based on the concentration of <br />116ppm and total surface area that was under leach at that time (only the first lift is in pace in <br />this area) and the time leaching started, on the lift which was 9/16/05, it was calculated a total of <br />55 to 60 gallons was spilled outside the containment area. It traveled approximately 45 feet down <br />gradient along the access road to the pad. All the contaminated soil was placed back onto the <br />pad, contaminated area spread with decontaminated and solution application was immediately <br />stopped. By this afternoon, 9/22/05, the area, would have been exposed, I had asked them not to <br />cover it before I got the chance to see it. I will drive to the site today to see if it in deed the <br />compaction of the drain cover in that area was the cause as Dr. Lupo thought it happened. I had <br />informed them, since that neither ore or solution can be loaded in this area until the solution <br />application system in this area is tied in to the Tertiary lines away from this area and the Division <br />is assured the fix is permanent. Operator agreed to comply. More to come tomorrow 111 <br />