GENERAL35034 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mr. William C. York-Feirn 2 passes beneath the County road, and extends 395 feet in a southeasterly direction towards the mill building. The Time mine is connected with the first level of the Wynona mine by way of a 50 foot deep winze, which creates sufficient water storage capacity for winter milling operations. A 3 foot concrete bulkhead was constructed in the Time mine, and some water from Left Hand Creek was pumped behind the bulkhead with the use of a portable pump during the proper pumping season. However, the construction of a permanent water pumping station with a continuous measuring device was never installed at the proposed point of diversion on Left Hand Creek In addition, the well that was supposed to be drilled to draw water from the Time and Wynona mine workings was never completed. The necessary submersible pump, water line, and electrical connection were not made between the mill building and the approved underground water storage areas. These are needed to complete the mill's water system, and should be installed prior to commencing milling on any scale of operations. The limited amount of milling that has been done in the Gold Hill Mill has been by using the water from the Cash mine's upper two levels. This was previously accomplished by diverting the 2 inch water line that ran from the Cash mine shaft to the Wynona mine shaft. A submersible pump is installed just below the floor of the second level of the Cash mine, which is 175 feel below the shaft collar. The Cash mine shaft collar is at an elevation of 8,200 feet, so the submersible pump is situated at an elevation of approximately 7,925 feet. From the Cash mine shaft, the 2 inch water line runs along the upper side of the mine access road to the Hazel A mine adit, which is at an elevation of 8,435 feet. At this point two valves were installed in the 2 inch line in order to divert the water either into the Hazel A mine for storage behind a wooden bulkhead, or to allow the water to be pumped up the hill to the Wynona mine shaft at an elevation of 8,595 feet. As described in the permit application, the Hazel A mine workings were connected to the mill tailings pond by way of a 2 inch line that was designed to decant excess water from the pond. This decantation line was supposed to be used to control the water level in the tailings pond, and to keep the water pool as far as possible from the crest of the embankment. The Hazel A underground water storage area was to be used to clarify the decanted water by allowing it to settle prior to recycling the water through the mill. It was also to be used as an additional reservoir for any excess water that had to be removed from the tailings pond during a heavy rain or snowfall. When Mr. J. Wayne Tatman took possession of the Gold Hill Mill on October 23, 1990, I personally showed Mr. Tatman that the Left Hand Creek water diversion pump had not been installed. I also pointed out the surveyed location for the well site that has to be drilled to tap the water stored in the Times and Wynona mine workings. At the meeting held