Laserfiche WebLink
~ •~~% D RAT <br />Minutes, April 22-23, 1992 24 <br />Subject To Board Approval <br />Staff said that: analyses of ~;amples the Division collected on April 3, <br />1992, from the leak detection system and Monitoring Well No. 9 showed <br />the following: leak detecticn system--weak acid dissociable cyanide at <br />a level of 85, free cyanide ~t 100 and total cyanide at 87 parts per <br />million; Monitoring Well No. 9~--all cyanide levels at a level of less <br />than .01. <br />Staff said that a letter the Division received from Mr. Lewis on April <br />10, 1992, included information that analyses conducted on September 13, <br />1991, of samples from the collection pond indicated weak acid <br />dissociable cyanide at 84, free cyanide at 26 and total cyanide at 110 <br />parts per million. The operator's analyses of samples from the <br />tailings pond, at that time, indicated the level of weak acid <br />dissociable cyanide at a level of 110, free cyanide at 34 and total <br />cyanide at 130 parts per million. Staff noted that the April 10, 1992 <br />letter represents the Division's earliest notification of elevated <br />cyanide levels at the site. <br />In response to an inquiry from the Board, Staff discussed a memo to the <br />Director in which the operator's lack of compliance to reporting <br />requirements since January of 1991 was discussed. <br />Staff referenced information the Division received on March 23, 1992 as <br />part of the annual report, contained in Exhibit A, and stated that an <br />analysis of water samples t~iken by the operator on January 30, 1992, <br />show weak dissociable cyanide levels at 210, free cyanide at 170 and <br />total cyanide at 240 parts per million. <br />Staff said that at the Division's request, the operator submitted a <br />technical revision application on April 3, 1992, for the immediate <br />]owering of cyanide concentrations in the tailings and collection <br />ponds. The Division approved the application on April 7, 1992. <br />Staff said that during the Division's review of the operator's <br />technical revision, the operator was informed that the levels approved <br />in the permit of 3.8 for ~deak acid dissociable and 4.4 for total <br />cyanide would have to be achieved. Staff said that in the technical <br />revision application, the operator stated that those levels are <br />impossible to achieve. Staff said the operator has proposed achieving <br />cyanide concentrations in the 40 parts per million range. Staff said <br />the Division has not approv?d the proposal for 40 parts per million, <br />but that it is included in a stipulation to the approval of the <br />technical revision which requires an immediate lowering of cyanide <br />levels. Staff said the Division has asked the operator to provide <br />additional information, regtirding their proposal for reaching the 40 <br />parts per million level. <br />Staff said analyses of samples the Division took from the tailings and <br />collection ponds on April 16, 1992, indicate that free cyanide levels <br />are at 140 to 170 parts per million. <br />Staff recommended that Board find the operator in violation of C.R.S. <br />34-32-124 for violating provisions of the permit by exceeding 4.4 parts <br />