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<br /> <br />OPERATING PLAN <br />FOR <br />REMEDIAL MEASURES FOR LOWER TAILINGS DAM SEEPAGE <br />BULLDOG MOUNTAIN OPERATION <br />IN THE <br />CREEDE RANGER DISTRICT <br />RIO GRANDE NATIONAL FOREST <br />COLORADO <br />Introduction <br />Homestake Mining Company's Bulldog Mountain Operation hereby submits the <br />following Operating Plan for your approval and hereby further declares <br />its intentions to perform remedial measures as described herein to contain <br />seepage from Homestake's lower tailings impoundment which is located on <br />National Forest Lands within the Creede Ranger District, Rio Grande National <br />forest, Mineral County, Colorado. Homestake's Bulldog Mine address is <br />Box 100, Creede, Colorado 81130 and the telephone number is (303) 658-2561. <br />Background <br />The Bulldog Mill which is located approximately one-half mile northwest of <br />Creede, Colorado uses a cyanide leach process to complete the recovery of <br />silver from the ore. Tailings which result from this process are pumped to <br />the lower tailings dam which is located approximately one mile southwest <br />of Creede as shown in Figure 1. <br />Since the lower tailings dam became <br />observed in the downstream toe area <br />observed in 1978 and were estimated <br />(gpm) with some seasonal variation. <br />estimated 45 to 50 gpm. In the ear <br />estimated to have increased to more <br />operational in 1975, seepage has been <br />at increasing rates. Seeps were first <br />to flow at 10 to 15 gallons per minute <br />In 1980, flow rates increased to an <br />ly spring of 1981, seepage rates were <br />than 100 gpm. <br />The observed large increase in seepage rates is a concern for two reasons. <br />- The effect that elevated water pressures and seepage velocities <br />within and beneath the dam may have on dam stability. <br />- The effect that the tailings water seepage may have on the ground- <br />water quality in the area and in downstream areas. <br />