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ALAMOSA VALLEY COURIER APR 1 p 1989 COLORADO PRESS dlDglnp Service 111 lllIII1111111lII ~'tin~yie~ds +ce By PHH. RAY JACK CourlerSlaff Writer SAAI,6ULS ~-Residents are worried about more than a possible cyanide leak from the proposed gold mine near San Luis, according to Jce Gallegos. Gallegos, who is president of the Costilla County Committee for En- vironmental Soundness, said the group is also concerned about the dewatering of the Rito Seco, siltation and erosion, the possibility of water .being left in the pits, and residual cyanide being left behind. Battle Mountain Gold Company received a permit from the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation board [NLRB] on March 22 after protests. from San Luis residents had caused a two•month delay. During the March 22 meeting, 1~Ymember Davis Holder said, "I >ti~k a hypocrite because if these i)blgltions were th my backyard, I d raise loud voices and vote mst it." .Gallegos said, "We are taking Mr. Holder's advice and raising our voicasagainstthe mine." The proposed plan for the rectemaGon of the area after the .._.,:~n1pi pre over a, Jy- in~tllf.~t- the grass in the area and planting new trees, but 'there is no plan for irrigation. "Those trees just will not grow without water," Gallegos said, "and probably will not grow even with water. Pinon and juniper are the hardest trees to grow and will requirle more attention than the reclamation plan catLs for." He explained that pinon trees have not been successfully replanted and pointed toward the side of Mount Blanca as an example. "Imagine the magnitude of the project," Gallegos continued. "The main pit will be dug anti! it is 200 feet below the level of the Rito Seco."The !. committee is concerned about water draining from the Rito Seco into this pit. .Battle Mountain Gold's proposal includes a wall of insoluble material between the pit and the mine. This wall, a "slurry wall," is supposed to prevent the creek's water Irma seeping into the pit and will be built should the need arise. Gallegos said the reclamation of the pit will not M sufficient to prevent the water from seepin8 into it after the ` company leaven. AftltlteT' cal0lt'~t. itf w' the lathe will A ~~~~~ , be driving on gravel roads and the mill will produce its own dust," Gallegos explained. He pointed out that the sail in the area is delicate. Even if the project runs ef[iciently and the reclamation goes as planned, once the soil is disturbed it may never be the same, according to Gallegos. He explained that there are several layers in the soil. The first contains the mast organic material and is the best for growing. The organic material thins out until there is none in the soil. Without the organic material, nothing will grav. Gallegos said the company will set aside the topsoil and when it comes time for reclamation they will mix it with the lower levels and lessen the amount of organic material in the top layer. As far as the cyanide is concerned, Gallegos said it has become a lesser concern but it is still a concern. "Battle Mountain Gold says the clay layer underneath the leach pit will not leak, and clay will not leak - as long as it is damp,"Gallegos said. "But what about the envitorimental' conditions of the area. The hot days and the cold nigMn and floe eatreAe ~-c - c4 ~ -~~ a ~e U .~ Q _~ -~~.~~,T•-~ w A ~E /~~ '~ .y a 5' = ~ ~ii~'~- m ~. 8 o c ~amQO~w ~~ ~~~~ H~ ?onb m o a ::mi° ~~ nni y ^ ,C ~ ~.'. O C ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~ d n 8 b FG ~~` a~~~i~ ~ o c ~ a` in o ~' m A ~ ydd,~os~ o t~1,~ ~ m c ~_ fD m m ~ mAOO~ eo N C y .+f 8 M y ~ T ~ ~ -~ ~~'~ ~_ a ~ ~~ ~ m d x ~~,_ m~A~ ~d y ~ ~ ^ y rn AfDR 5° ~.$ ~ °O ° ~3'w o ~Sr