GENERAL52503

• Permit No: M1977247
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 7/19/1996
• Doc Name: DOMTAR GYPSUM/G P GYPSUM CORP COALDALE CLOSURE PLAN PERMIT M-77-247
• From: AZURITE INC
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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Azurite, Inc.
10001 CR 12 P.O. Box 338
Cotopaxi, CO 81223
[phone]
Fax: [phone]
July 19, 1996
Mr. James Stevens, Senior Env. Specialist
Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology
1313 Sherman Street Rm 215
Denver, CO 80203
RE: DOMTAR GYPSUM/G-P GYPSUM CORP COALDALE CLOSURE PLAN PERMIT
M-77-247
INTRODUCTION
The Coaldale Gypsum Mine is a 100 acre surface mine in Fremont County, Colorado. Mine and
Plant operations were curtailed in 1990 and the site has been in Temporary Cessation since
that time. In late 1995, The Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board denied the operator's
request for extension of Temporary Cessation statis and ordered the operator, at the time
Domtar Gypsum, to begin closure operations. In April, 1996, Domtar Gypsum was sold in total
to Georgia-Pacific Corporation, operating as G-P Gypsum Corp. The closure plan as submitted
is intended to address two issues specifically 1) Analyse the costs of closure of the site given
• certain assumptions and reclamation performance standards and compare this cost to the
$500,000.00 bond currently in place, and 2) Amend the original mine plan written in 1976 which
reflects removal of all gypsum reserve prior to final grading and revegetation. There is presently
app. 2.5 million tons of gypsum reserve that will remain in place with the amended mine plan.
Active mining faces will be reduced to 1:1 talus(rock) slopes with no attempt for revegetation of
the rock outslopes. Approximately 60% of the affected land is under some state of
revegetation, ranging from completed reveg areas to areas that have limited revegetation and
will need additional reclamation work prior to qualification for bond release. Roadways,
structural concrete, stationary mining equipment, buildings, and misc. mining equipment will be
removed from the site or buried in approved areas. Roadways and core drilling access roads
will be removed and revegetated. Flat rock outcrop areas formally mine drill benches will be
revegetated via transport Of soils from the site and revegetated with grass and shrub
establishment. The amended mine plan will outline a five year schedule for completion of
closure activities by 2001. Closure work will begin in 1996.
OVERVIEW AND ASSUMPTIONS
In late 1995, an aerial survey of the site was flown and updated topographic maps were
acquired. Cross sections were drawn of the entire ore body portraying the highwall and mine
bench configurations as they curently exist. A final slope to all alive mine bench highwalls was
drawn at 1:1 for the rock talus areas and other mine benches and planimeter measurements
were taken for volumetric assessment of rock to be drilled and shot to result in the rock talus
slopes. Other areas where appropriate, were blocked out for bulldozer work to result in a stable