1992-04-22_REVISION - M1988112

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: REVISION
• Doc Date: 4/22/1992
• Doc Name: MINUTES MLRB
• Type & Sequence: AM1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

•
Minutes, April 22-23, 1992
~~ ~~ D RIFT
Subject To Board Approval
permit requirements. Staff said the Division is concerned that copper
present in the ore body is mixing with the cyanide and ending up in the
tailings area, possibly along with other metallics. The operator also
committed to this requiremen~: in the April 16, 1991 letter, although
the technical revision state's that it may not be possible to achieve
the permitted levels of 3.8 and 4.4. Staff said the issue of
consideration of setting other cyanide levels has yet to be resolved.
Item 8, dependent upon a determination that modification of the
processing methodology, etc., wvuld require the operator to modify the
tailings area detoxification and reclamation plans appropriately, in
order to address the long ~:erm implications of the tailings area.
Staff said the operator committed to this requirement in the April 16,
1992 letter. However, Staff 'said the Division granted a request to the
operator that they be allowed 180 days, rather than 90, to complete the
requirement.
Staff said Item 9 requires the operator to develop a comprehensive
monitoring plan package, including all plans, and demonstrate the
appropriateness of their monitoring plan. The operator committed to
the requirement in the April 16, 1992 letter.
In the April 16, 1992 letter, the operator committed to adjusting the
financial warranty, Item 10, as necessary to address any requirements
for modification of the reclamation plan.
Staff said Item 11 represents a working tool to enable the Division and
the operator to monitor the progress towards abatement. The operator,
in the April 16, 1992 letter, committed to developing the document.
Item 12 requires the operator to conduct an investigation and develop a
detailed guideline or protocol for the testing process, beginning with
initial collection to final .analyses. Staff said the operator verbally
committed to this requirement on April 22, 1992.
Staff said that if the Board found the operator in violation, the
Division would recommend that the 12 requirements be placed on the
permit.
In response to a question from the Board, Staff said the operator's
current reporting requirements include submittal of an annual report
summarizing events at the site: submittal of monitoring information on
a quarterly basis. Staff said the operator's permit required the
reporting of any significant: variations, which could affect tailings
operations or stability, to the Division immediately after obtaining
the data. Staff discussed this issue with the Board in detail.
At the Board's request, Staff discussed ground water monitoring and the
Division's decision not to issue a cease and desist order until
permitted cyanide levels are obtained. Staff explained that, because
of its design, the plant must be run, including the processing of new
ore for an analysis of the ~:ailings, after the introduction of CyTox,
to be conducted. Staff stated that the operator had been made aware of