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<br />MEMO <br />February 2l, 1997 <br />Page 2 <br /> <br />On January 24, 1997 the Division collected 16 additional soil samples. The operator extracted a 1 <br />foot, 2 foot, 3 foot, and 4 foot sample from hole number 11 & 14 (tank #7), 1 and 2 (tank #5). The <br />split samples were transported to Denver where the Division decided to send four of [he samples <br />to the CDOH lab. The sample numbers are I1-2, 14-3, l-3 and 2-2 (hole numbet-depth). WAD <br />cyanide was not detected in any of the samples. Sample 11-2 had 1.5 ug/g total, Sample 14-3 did <br />not detect any total cyanide, sample 1-3 had .94 ug/g total and sample 2-2 had 5.6 ug/g total <br />cyanide. BMRI's lab results are comparable to the Division's lab results. <br />The Division decided to determine the lateral extent of cyanide contamination underneath the tanks <br />so the operator was asked to cut four holes in each tank near the outside edge. Sdil samples were <br />extracted from holes A-D in tank number 7 and holes E-H in tank 5 during [he January 29, 1997 <br />inspection. The holes were excavated to about 15 inches. The Division transl¢orted two split <br />samples (7-C and 5-F) to the CDOH lab in Denver for analysis. Cyanide was not detected in either <br />sample. <br />The Division scheduled [he possible violation for the February 26-27, 1997 Board meeting. On <br />February 20, 1997 BMRI faxed a request to postpone the matter until the Mazch meeting. The <br />Division and the operator informed the interested parties by certified mail that a continuance request <br />will be presented to the Board at the February meeting. However, BMRI withdrew the request for <br />continuance on February 25, 1997. At the February 27, 1997 meeting, the Board decided to <br />continue the item until the March 26-27, 1997 meeting because the interested patties (except for <br />Nora Jacquez) were not present. On February 28, 1997, the interested parties were notified, by mail, <br />of the continuance. <br />On mazch 3, ]997, BMRI notified [he Division that the contaminated soils underneath tank #5 and <br />#7 will be excavated and placed in the tailings facility, as recommended by the Division as the <br />corrective action for this possible NOV. Soil removal operations began on Match 5, 1997 and <br />continued through March I1, 1997. A Division inspector observed all the soil rethoval activities. <br />During the first three days, the operator used a small backhoe/fron[end loader to excavate the soil <br />and a large wheel loader to transport the material to apre-selected area in the tailings facility. After <br />excavating to a depth of approximately 10 feet in tank #7 and 6 feet in tank #5 soSl samples were <br />collected from both tanks. The samples were sent to the Sangre De Christo lab in Alamosa for <br />analysis. Cyanide was detected in both samples. Since the small backhoe/frontend loader could not <br />excavate below 10 feet, and because cyanide was detected at the 10 foot level in tank #7, the <br />operator decided to mobilize a larger piece of equipment that has the capability of Excavating to 15 <br />feet. <br />A Cat 225D excavator arrived at the site on March 10, 1997 and began removing soils from tank <br />#7. The large wheel loader continued to haul material to the tailings facility. At a depth of 15 feet <br />a sample was collected from tank #7 and sent to the Sangre De Christo lab. Qyanide was not <br />detected in this sample so three split samples were collected from the bot[otn of the hole. <br />Meanwhile, the excavator completed digging the soil from tank #5 (to a depth of 15 feet). Three <br />split samples were collected from the bottom of the hole. The Division elected to send one sample <br />from each tank to the CDOH lab in Denver to verify BMRI's lab results. <br />