REV102709

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: Revision
• Doc Date: 10/5/1999
• Doc Name: FAX COVER SAN LUIS PROJECT PN M-88-112 NOTICE OF REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS REASONABLE POTENTIA
• From: DMG
• To: MASSEY SEMENOFF STERN PC
• Type & Sequence: TR26
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

i
9

STATE OF
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
October 4, 1999
Mr. Bill Lyle, Director of Environmental Affairs-U.S.
Battle Mountain Gold Company
P.O. Box 1627
Battle Mountain, NV 89820
RE: San Luis Project (Permit M-88-112) Notice of reason to believe that there is reasonable potential for further
degradation of groundwater quality
Dear Mr. Lyle:
Greg E. Walther
Executive Direuor
Michael B. long
Dimvon Director
Recent conversation with the Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) has established that the Division of
Minerals and Geology (DMG) remains responsible for the protection of groundwater quality in the Ritb Seco
alluvial aquifer at the San Luis Project. As a consequence of that discussion and pursuant to procedure$ prescribed
by Rule 3.1.7 (3), this letter is to serve as notice to Battle Mountain Gold Company and Battle Mounta~rl Resources,
Inc. that the DMG has reason to believe, hazed on evidence, that there is or may be a reasonable potential for
degradation of groundwater quality in the Rito Seco alluvial aquifer down gradient of monitoring wells M-I I R and
M-31 at the San Luis Project (Permit M-88-112).
Battle Mountain Resources, Inc. (BMRl), as operator of the San Luis Project, is hereby also notified thpt there is a
need to modify Permit M-88-112 to include permit conditions protective of the quality of groundwater~irt the
uncontaminated portion of the Rito Seco alluvial aquifer down gradient of wells M-11R and M-31. BN~RI is also
directed, by this notice, to submit within 90 days of this notice the necessary information that will lead to the setting
of those permit conditions as well as the establishment of appropriate point(s) of compliance.
Sincerely, / ~_
// // ' y.-t.C --t
H. Bruce Humphries /1
Supervisor, Minerals Program
The provisions of C.R.S. 34-32-I 16 (7) (g) and Rule 3.1.6 require that disturbances to the prevailing h}idrologic
balance of the affected land and of the surrounding area and to the quantity or quality of water in surfs a and
groundwater systems both during and after the mining operation and during reclamation be minimized.) Following
the exceedance of permit conditions for groundwater quality at well M-1 lR in late 1998, the Colorado ivlined Land
Reclamation Board ordered Battle Mountain Resources, Inc. (BMRI) to submit a Technical Revision tq the permit
for the San Luis Project proposing specific actions that would provide for the future protection of grout(d and
surface water quality in the area of the West Pit. The DMG expects BMR] to include in that permit revision
measures to protect the quality of groundwater in the uncontaminated portion of the Rito Seco alluvial aquifer. The
effectiveness of those meazures will be monitored by means of the permit conditions and point(s) of compliance
now being required for that aquifer.
RADO
DIVISION OF
MINERALS
GEOLOGY
RECLAMATION
MI NING•SA FE TY
sill ovens
Governor
cc: David Holm, WQCD
David Akers, WQCD
Cheryl Linden, AG's Office