Laserfiche WebLink
Reclamation Plan: <br />' While small, this site is very complex and posed many challenges. Some of the <br />qualities making this site exceptionally challenging include steep undisturbed <br />slopes above the site, arid moisture regime, lack of topsoil material, southern <br />exposure, proximity to a major ephemeral drainage, and existence of pre-law <br />structures and contaminants. <br />Demolition of pre-law infrastructure <br />' Concurrent with the development of the site for use by BME's operations most <br />equipment and structures were removed from the Staley Gordon Mine. This <br />involved the demolition of several buildings as well as a hazardous waste <br />cleanup of PCB contaminated soils and electrical equipment. The existing <br />portals were secured and modern monitoring equipment placed on the surface to <br />detect spontaneous combustion byproducts. <br />At the request of BLM of DOW the Staley Gordon portals remain unsealed. <br />These portals are of particular interest to the BLM and DOW for their potential <br />use by Townsend's big-eared bats, considered endangered or threatened in <br />Colorado. Plans are being developed to seal these portals in a more permanent <br />manner while providing suitable access for the bats. <br />Demolition of Deserado Mine structures and portal sealing: <br />' Structures that were removed included electrical poles and wires, various bulk <br />tanks, concrete tank containment structures, and portal faces. Concrete <br />' structures were buried in the fill to add structural stability and reduce the need for <br />off-site disposal. <br />The Deserado Mine portals were sealed by backfilling them with non-combustible <br />material for a length exceeding that required by law. In addition, a concrete <br />barrier was poured behind steel and plank walls to provide additional security. <br />' Portal faces and other concrete demolition debris were piled at the openings prior <br />to pushing soils over the site to tie into the natural terrain. <br />General configuration: <br />Following structure demolition and portal sealing the site was graded back to tie <br />into the natural slopes. Most work was preformed using a D-7 dozer and <br />trackhoe. Slopes were blended back to an aesthetically compatible configuration <br />' with rocks left at the surface of the fill. The access road was pulled back with a <br />trackhoe to better meet the desired configuration. <br />Blue Mountain Energy, Inc. 3 Staley Gordon/East Portal Area <br />