HYDRO29057

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Name: TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, Water Quality Control Division
Rationale - Pnge 8 Permit No. CO-0045675
V. PERFORMANCE HISTORY
C. Enforcement History (Cont.)
On October 8, 1999, the Division ojAdministration of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued
to Battle Mountain Resources, /rec. and Battle Moun[ain Gold Company Amendment No. / to the Notice of Violation and
Cease and Desist Order ("NOV/CDO ") issued August 20, /999. In the Amendment No. 1 to the NOV/CDO, BMRI was
authorized, as of the date ojdtis Amendment, to commence treatment of the contmninated groundwater in tl:e West Pit and
discharge such treated water to the Rilo Seco in accordance with several requirements. These requirements included:
providing the Division with a notice of start ttp; requirements ojdaily monitoring of effluent during the initial stare-up
period (/or the first 14 days of initial discharge) for pH, flow, sulfate, dissolved manganese, and fluoride; specifications of
effluent [imitations for the period following the initial scan-up period; am! submittal of biweekly reports of treatment foci/iry
operations and discharge monitoring report data. A summary of the discharge bi-weekly report data is included
previously in Table V-/.
/n response, BMR/ has complied xith the above items of the NOV/CDO and its Amendment, responded to each answer,
and has submitted bi-weekly reports.
D. Facility Improvements
TR-26 provides an exact description of the system improvements proposed to be added by BMR! to protect the environment.
Specifically, section 1.0 provides a chronology duough March 22, 1999. Irnprovernents made after that date include
further collection of the seepage and purnpback to attempt to reduce the flow jrorn the seepage front. Additionally, an
enhanced evaporation system has been installed and cornrnissioned to dispose of water extracted from the alluvium and
backfill as Phase / of the long-renn water management program as described in section 6.1.2 of TR-26. Derails of the
water treatment system have been previously discussed in this rationale (see Pan /V. B.)
Other improvements that have occurred or are anticipated are as follows:
Phase ! is controlling flow from the West Pit oral lowering the rater level in the West Pit approximately /5 feet.
Water removed by canbination of enhanced evaporation (summer 1999) and membrane separation (winter 1999).
Pumpinglran backfill area and window area (as necessary to maintain hydraulic gradient).
Phase ll would be based on the results obtained from conducting apilot-scale test of passive biological treannent to reduce
sulfate, produce alkalinity, and precipitate metal suede compounds. Additionally, mm~ganese rnav be treated using a
passive aerobic treatment system.
Vl. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PERM/T
A. Determination of Effluent Limitations
Effluent Limitations: !n developing suitable effluent limitations, the Division must review all applicable standards
and regulations and apply that which is snore stringent. Such a review has been done for this facility. The review
includes, but is not limited to, the water quality standard based effluent limitations, federal guidelines and standards
(40 CFR Subchapter M and the Regulations for Effhtent Limitations (Regulation No. 62). As shown in Tables VI-la,
VI-/6 and VI-/con the next three pages, the following [imitations will apply and are discussed in Sections V/.A.2,
Vl.A.3 and VI.A.4.