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C~ <br />• <br />DETAILED PLAN FOR MAINTAINING COMPLIANCE <br />The Thompson Creek No. 1 Mine formerly had workings in <br />the A-seam and the B-seam which were operated between 1955 and <br />1965 by another mining company. The mining operation was shut <br />down from 1965 through 1976. Late in 1977 Snowmass acquired <br />the mining properties. <br />Snowmass produced coal from the A-seam from 1977 <br />through 1984. When Snowmass acquired the mine properties the <br />B-seam was connected to the A-seam in three places. Snowmass <br />never produced coal from the B-seam but did not seal the <br />connections between the seams to allow ventilation air to <br />circulate. <br />During May 1985 the flow from the B-seam increased to <br />250 g.p.m. or more and lasted for about two weeks, On May 7, <br />1985 the pH of this water was 3,1 and the conductivity was <br />4,500 umhos/c.m. This water was piped to a surface holding <br />pond, treated, and then allowed to discharge through CPDS <br />discharge point 003. This upset condition was formally <br />reported to Ms. Ginny Torrez in Snowmass' letter to the <br />Division dated May 20, 1985. A similar occurence in May 1986 <br />led to this NOV. <br />Snowmass has decided to abandon and reclaim the mine <br />in accordance with its reclamation permit. This will involve <br />constructing seals or dams in the three connections between the <br />A-seam and the B-seam to stop the B-seam water from entering <br />Snowmass's formerly active workings of the No. 1 Mine. This <br />action should assure that future compliance discharges will be <br />maintained from outfall 001. Snowmass recently stopped <br />dewatering its former active workings of the No. 1 Mine. Water <br />is expected to gradually fill the mine and then again begin <br />discharging from outfall 001. The B-seam workings will <br />continue to drain as they did before Snowmass's A-seam <br />operations occurred, and these flows would go to North Thompson <br />Creek, probably through an opening in a portal seal to be <br />installed in the 8-seal portal as required by the regulations <br />of the Mine Safety and Health Administration. <br />The No. 1 Mine B-seam was mined during the same time <br />period as the North Thompson Creek No. 2 Mine and neither have <br />been operated by Snowmass. The No. 2 Mine discharge currently <br />passes through in experimental "peat bog' treatment system <br />installed by the Abandoned Mines Program of the MLRD and then <br />discharges directly into North Thompson Creek, and has not been <br />required to have a CDPS discharge permit. Snowmass understands <br />- 3 - <br />