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• , iii i~iiiiiiniii iii BEFORE THE MINED LAND RECLAMATION BOARD STATE OF COLORADO Permit No. M-88-112 ------------------------------------------------------------- INTERIM ORDER CONCERNING DETOXIFICATION ------------------------------------------------------------- BATTLE MOUNTAIN RESOURCES, INC. ------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------- 1. This matter concerns an enforcement action brought by the Mined Land Reclamation Division ("the Division") against Battle Mountain Resources, Inc. ("BMRI") pursuant to §34-32-124, C.R.S. (1984 & 1991 Suppl.) for failure to comply with the terms and conditions of its permit. Following a hearing, t e Mined Land Reclamation Board ("Board") issued an order dated May 28, 1992 ("theMay Order") which among other things required BMRI to bring the cyanide levels ir{ the tailings slurry and the ponds into compliance with the permit provisions by n later than June 24, 1992. 2. Pursuant to paragraph 18 of the May Order, the Board held ~ hearing on ~ June 24, 1992 to consider detoxification efforts at the site and to onsider the need for additional corrective actions. 3. BMRI had not reduced the cyanide levels in the tailings pond and tailings slurry to 4.4 parrs per million ("ppm") total cyanide and 3.8 ppm wea acid dissociable "(WAD") cyanide as required by the permit and the May Ord r. Currently, the cyanide level in the tailings pond is approximately 80 ppm WAD cy Hide. 4. BMRI has agreed to implement TR-007 and to use the approve d hydrogen '~ peroxide method as an interim process to achieve an immediate reduction in the cyanide level in the pond. BMRI also proposes to implement the Inco rocess described in TR-O10 as a final process to achieve the cyanide levels ~pecified in the permit. TR-O10 was submitted to the Division on June 16, 1992 anp is currently under review. 5. Costilla County Conservancy District ("CCCD"), Jane I. Kircher and Peoples Alternative Energy Services ("PAES">, parties to the hearing,~requested that the Board order BMRI to cease the addition of cyanide to the process ~olution in order to reduce cyanide levels in the tailing slurry more quickly. 6. BMRI has made a good faith effort to reduce cyanide levels n the pond, and by using the hydrogen peroxide process, has achieved a substantia reduction in such levels. By continuing to operate the plant, and continuing to t eat the solution using the hydrogen peroxide method, BMRI should be able to r duce the cyanide levels to below 50 ppm WAD cyanide by July 3, 1992. 7. There is no evidence that the elevated cyanide levels have n any way impacted Surface or ground water in the vicinity of the site. Howeve BMRI should not be required to cease using cyanide so long as it meets the standa ds prescribed by the Board. Therefore, as described in the May Order it is necessa y to enhance ground water monitoring at the site, it is unlikely that any impacts o ground water will pose a hazard to the health and welfare of the public prior to tfhe installation of additional necessary ground water monitoring wells.