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BLUE MOUNTAIN ENERGY INC. <br />Spill Prevention, Control and Containment Plan <br />HISTORY OF SPII.LS: <br />There has been only one occurrence at Deserado Mine since it's inception. The sequence <br />of events are listed below: <br />A valve in the sight-gauge in the Hydrochloric Acid storage tank located just outside the <br />Water Treatment Plant failed to close allowing concentrated Hydrochloric Acid to leak <br />into the concrete containment basin surrounding the base of the tank. The tank contained <br />at the time of the spill approximately 2,000 gallons of product. The leak occurred prior to <br />1200 hours. It was discovered at 1300 hours. A security officer that was also a member <br />of the Rangely Fire Department's Hazardous Materials unit arrived at 1400 hours. Mine <br />personal had closed the valve. <br />Robert Johnson, Mine Manager instructed Wayne Johns to contact the Rangely Fire <br />Department to assist in the containment, neutralization and packaging of the neutralized <br />product. <br />A temporary earthen containment berm was placed below the effected aeeas to prevent <br />any leakage from reaching Scullion Gulch. Soda Ash was initially used to neutralize the <br />leakage. Mr. Johns was told by E.P.A. representative for region 8 spill response center in <br />Denver that Rock Dust used at the mine would be a better neutralizing agent and was <br />more readily available on-site. <br />Approximately 1,500 gallons of product was involved, creating a stream approximately 2 <br />inches deep and 100 yards long. The steep rocky nature of the site required clean-up <br />operations be done by hand. Basically neutralizing the product with rock dust, shoveling <br />the neutralized product into 5-mil plastic bags, hand carrying them to the storage area <br />inside the fenced Water Treatment Plant. Testing the pH of neutralized product and <br />putting the bags in Department of Transportation approved barrels. <br />No surface water areas were contaminated by the leakage or clean-up procedures. <br />Bennet Young, the E.P.A. Region 8 Spill Response Representative stated that the <br />neutralized product, i.e., Calcium Chloride was non-toxic and disposal of same could be <br />done in the Deserado owned landfill. Duke Duzik also monitored the containment and <br />clean-up operations and gave Deserado Mine permission to dispose of the neutralized <br />product in the Company landfill. <br />