1989-10-10_REVISION - M1988112 (12)

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INTRODUCTION This amendment is being submitted for the San Luis Project by Battle Mountain Resources, Inc. (Battle Mountain) for review by the State of Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Division. The amendment addresses a change in the ore beneficiation process to eliminate the heap leach and changes in three waste rock disposal areas. All other aspects of the approved San Luis permit remain the same. The San Luis Project Permit, file No. M-88-112, was i<.~sued on March 22, 1989. The permit called for beneficiation of 13 million tons of ore, 6.5 million tons through a conventional mill circuit and 6.8 million tons through cyanide heap leaching. This amendment proposes to eliminate the heap leaching operation and beneficiate all of the ore through a carbon in leach circuit in the mill. The change in beneficiation necessitates changes in the descriptions of ore handling, waste disposal and reclamation plans previously approved. Mining and reclamation of the two open pits is not affected by this amendment. The approved permit boundary will not change as a result of this amendment. The proposed layout of certain facilities within the permit boundary has been revised and is shown on revised Figure C-1 included in Exhibit C. Approximately 12.2 million tons of ore will be removetl over a seven to ten year period at a rate of approximately 4,680 tons per day, although actual mining rates will be determined by a number of economic and operating factors. Mining will occur in two open pits located north of the Rito Seco in the eastern portion of the property. Details of the mining operation have not changed and can be found in Section D.2 of''the approved permit. Approximately twenty five million tons of waste rock will be removed over the life of the project. Six areas are planned for waste rock disposal. The designs of three of these areas are unchanged from the original permit. Area C has been renamed Area Band Area D hasp been renamed 1