HYDRO25606

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 12/7/1992
• Doc Name: STORM WATER INSPECTION
• From: US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
• To: GARY DODSON
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Battle Mountain Inspection
July 20, 1992 - Page 2
in June of 1992 and are pumped two days per week at a rate
of 110-120 gallons per minute. When asked how they
determine when to pump the wells, BMG stated that the wells
are pumped when the water level in the west pit needs to be
reduced. The mine water is pumped from the wells to the
process plant where it is used in the milling process.
BMG plans to use this water to fill water trucks to be used
for dust control on the roads. At the time of the
inspection, BMG had just finished construction at the area
where the water trucks will be filled. BMG stated that the
Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division had approved the
use of this water for dust control. BMG plans to install a
slurry wall if the seepage along the west pit is
significant. BMG has not encountered any water in the east
mine pit. BMG has constructed a pipeline 10 miles long from
a farm to replace water into the stream as required by an
augmentation plan.
BMG's facility was designed as a non-discharging facility.
Tailings from the mill are deposited in the tailings
impoundment via a pipeline slurry. The tailings impoundment
is lined with a 40 mil liner. The collection pond is lined
with a double synthetic liner. The tailings impoundment was
designed for a 100 year storm event.
BMG has finished mining at the east pit. At the time of the
inspection, BMG had begun reclamation activities at the east
pit. The pit was being filled with waste rock from the west
pit. BMG stated that they ran a batch test on the ore and
the results showed that it was non-acid forming. ~~
r
Attached are a schematic of the milling operation and a site
plan. Inspectors also reviewed some of the surface and
ground water quality data collected by Battle Mountain as
required by their State Mine Land Reclamation Permit.