GENERAL42600 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

page_si•x investinatA these possibilities ac part of a thorough EIS. (c) 'ieav•y Metals: FACT: Two of the three humidity cull tests conducted for BMR by its subcontractor showed no ph levels indicative of the prvcvnce of heavy metals. However, one of the test results was May off the scale, indicating the presence of heavy metals in the ore-body. PMR viEW: The humidity cell tests were an adequate sample far an ore-body of th:s type artd e:ze. The tests indicate that there ae no significant quantities of heavy metals in the ore-body. L:QCAI._CONCEFiNS: The deviating results in 33 percent of the sample for the RMR humidity cell tests indicates a presence of heavy metals in the are-body. Tho results Should not be discounted ne anomolous cr• insignlf:cant. If anything, the results aro inconclusive. Three tests do not provide sufficient baseline data to m31[2 an accurate assessment of ouch a large and conplax ore- body. The EF•A should assign its own mine waste epeciallsts to study this issue with a view towards having an adequatro basis for evaluation of heavy metals in the Ora-body. Moreover, there aro also local concerns about the prospect for heavy metal contamination of the Rito Seco aquifer.' Again, David Cooper states: I am also concerned that the teilingc piles from Cthv EMk] vat leaching program will be located near the Rito Seco. With this type of pile th~r~_3s_ n1~ip~Yg_thp posai bi 1 i ty__that __heavy_ meta~_ wi 11__,j~~jt_ f rQpL,_~t+ie tailings into the Rito_Sggo__~..thiv stream has already been v3ctimi=ed by gold seekers Cthv 1973 fiche-kill caused by a cyanide spill from Earth Sciences, Inc. '.leach pads] and f~rture_ haav_Y_ m~fi1 _P9111dSE~~_~l.Ah~?ma =1C4 ineyitabl~+. (Letter to Vohdenal, Auust .0, 1940:2 empha6is added). the likelihood of contaminating leaks 4ram the waste tailings far_ility is compounded by three additional facts) (1) on:.y ono "40 rail" liner (c,bout 1/16" thief:) is being used to line the teilingm f~r_i1iRv; !'~) minimum compaction requirements may not havQ brsen mot 5incr~ HMR r_rsed onl•1 = gallons of water per cubic foot Instead of ttrr. pre-•F~rred ; gallons: and (~) recent heavy rains have undermined the curripartion underneath the plastic liner; workers repc.rt the fnrm..ti,~n of many qull:es and water saturation points in ~~~rlouc ar•~+•:~; i.rnrirrnNath the liner. We want acsurancvs from the EPA that r: hire r-.rMr rper-ation will not endanger the Rito Saco ss a consequence of cyan:dr~ or heavy met al contamination r®eultinq from faulty can-ctrr.rct i on ore management of the tai 1 i ngs f aci 1 i ty.