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I <br />I ~ STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Depannu•m nl Nulural Resources <br />111 1 Sherman 51.. Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 110203 <br />Phone: 1103) 71fi6-3567 <br />FAx: I~o~l a; ~-alufi <br />TO: Greg Walcher <br />Executive Director-DNR <br />FROM: Mike Longr~-~ t~ <br />Director-DM <br />DATE: March 16, 2000 <br />RE: Response to March 14, 2000 Correspondence <br />From the Alliance for Responsible Mining <br />DIVISION OF <br />MINERALS <br />GEOLOGY <br />RECLAMATION <br />MINING•SAFETY <br />Rdl Gwen, <br />Curcrnor <br />Creq E. walch> <br />E+eCUlive DireClUr <br />Michael B. Long <br />Dnismn Dnrclor <br />This is an informational response drafted for your use in responding to the Alliance for <br />Responsible Mining's (the Alliance) March 14, 2000 correspondence. We have <br />attempted to address Items 1, 2 and 4; not in a critical manner, but to make sure you <br />have the facts as laid out in our files and based on other information at owr disposal. <br />Response to Item I: <br />The letter claims that Battle Mountain Gold has presently polluted waters of the <br />United States, as in the past. The Alliance has taken liberties with the facts. It is true <br />that Battle Mountain Gold (BMG) did receive a significant civil penalty fitom the Mined <br />Land Reclamation Board (Board) for an elevated release of cyanide in 1992. However, <br />the release was to their lined and monitored tailings disposal pond. Based on over 10 <br />years of monitoring, there is no indication that ground water, contalminated with <br />cyanide, has been released from the tailings disposal pond or any other site facility. No <br />pollutants escaped the site or were released to the environment. One of the corrective <br />actions imposed by the Board, as a result of the violation, was the requirement that <br />BMG actively flush and detoxify or reduce the level of cyanide in the tailings pond. <br />The present cyanide level in the tailings pond is now less than 0.275 mg/1, which is <br />within water quality standards. <br />The other issue raised by The Alliance is the recent problem with a discharge of <br />contaminated ground water from what is called the West Pit at San Luis to the Rito <br />Seco, the adjacent stream. It is true that BMG reported elevated llevels of total <br />dissolved solids and sulfate in a ground water monitoring well located near the West <br />Pit, beginning in July of 1998. A contamination plume had developed in the Rito Seco <br />alluvium. It was also discovered that the West Pit was discharging by springs and <br />