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QUESTIONS TODAY -ANSWERS FOR THE FUTURE
<br />Battle Mountain Protects Tomorrow's Environment and Quality of Life with Actions Now
<br />Shore term thinking. Businesses as a group
<br />have been accused of thnt - of focusing on
<br />today without considering what Iwppens in rite
<br />long run.
<br />Nor ar Banle Mtnmtain. Long-term
<br />consequences are a top priorin for us hecause
<br />x•e kno++• that the quality of life in the future
<br />depends on what x•e do right nox•
<br />So, while we are preparing to produce
<br />gold at the San Luis project, at the same time
<br />xe are raking acuons which will hate real
<br />benefits down the road
<br />Nhar u~e are doing today will protect the
<br />land. water, wildlife, people, and the em~iron-
<br />mem of Cosrilla County now and far into the
<br />future, long after the San Luis project is gone.
<br />Here is hox~ we ar Bartle Mountain are
<br />handling some long-teen questions x~hich are
<br />important to the people of Cosrilla Counq~ .
<br />What is Battle Mountain doing to protect
<br />water quality and water rights in [he San
<br />Luis Valley?
<br />While the San Luis project is in
<br />production, there will be no damage or
<br />depletion to Rito Seco Creek and our
<br />operation won't affect other water users in
<br />the valley.
<br />Our plan is to remove water from the
<br />ore zones of the surface mine itself before
<br />the rocks are disturbed. The quantity of
<br />water produced by the mine will be small,
<br />and it will all be used by the San Luis
<br />project.
<br />Battle Mountain will take steps
<br />through a "plan of augmentation" to ensure
<br />that no water tights in the creek are affected
<br />by mine dewatering. First, Battle Mountain
<br />will replace any water removed from the
<br />ore zones which may contribute to the flow
<br />of the creek. Second, Battle Mountain will
<br />see that water from the Rito Seco Creek
<br />doesn't seep into the mine. This will be
<br />accomplished, if necessary, by building an
<br />impermeable underground barrier between
<br />the mine and the creek.
<br />Our primary water supply is water we
<br />have acquired by purchasing [he
<br />Columbian Ranch and Rocky Mountain
<br />Farms. We plan to use some of that water
<br />for our mining operations, and we are in the
<br />process of obtaining approval for our plan
<br />from the Colorado water coup.
<br />We are farming now, and we will
<br />continue to farm while the San Luis project
<br />is in production. Some land will have to be
<br />idled, and any farm land we will not use will
<br />be planted with dry land grasses to conserve
<br />the soil. The rest of the farm will continue to
<br />operate, much as it has N the past.
<br />Battle Mountain is committed to being
<br />a good neighbor in Cosrilla County and
<br />recognizes that water is a precious resource.
<br />After mining is completed, Banle Mountain
<br />will return the water to agricultural use.
<br />Even during mining, water not needed for
<br />milling or augmentation will continue to be
<br />used for agriculture. That means agriculture
<br />can be a pan of the future of the San Luis
<br />Valley as it has been a pan of the past.
<br />During operations or after the San Luis
<br />project is closed, will anything be put into
<br />the environment which conceivably
<br />might affect water, people, animals, or
<br />crops'!
<br />Battle Mountain has great respect for
<br />the environment and is committed to
<br />protecting i[ now and for furore generations.
<br />Highly engineered and environmentally
<br />sound measures, secured by state regulation
<br />and a $3.3 million bond, and combined with
<br />responsibility and concern, will ensure this
<br />during and after mining at the San Luis
<br />project.
<br />The San Luis project is a "zero-
<br />discharge" project. That means no water
<br />will be released from the project to the
<br />existing surface or ground water. Banle
<br />Mountain's plan of augmentation calls for
<br />replacing any water which otherwise would
<br />contribute [o the flow of the Ri[o Seco
<br />Creek. All replacement water delivered to
<br />the Rito Seco will come from the wells on
<br />Battle Mountain's farm, no[ from water
<br />used on the project site.
<br />Our spent ore management area is built
<br />over an impervious synthetic liner. The liner
<br />is placed on highly compacted soil. The
<br />entire area is surrounded by an efficient
<br />drainage control system. As a result, no
<br />water from the management area will reach
<br />surface or ground waters.
<br />During the life of the project, processed
<br />material pumped to the management area is
<br />deposited in thin layers in a carefully
<br />controlled fashion. The layers dry rapidly to
<br />a dense consistency which resists dusting
<br />and prevents water from moving through
<br />the material. This approach to spent ore
<br />management protects water quality, and air
<br />quality as well.
<br />Water which may accumulate in the
<br />spent ore management area during opera-
<br />tions will evaporate or be pumped back to
<br />the processing plant for reuse.
<br />In any case, the water itself is not toxic.
<br />Cyanide solutions will be recycled, and
<br />spent ore will be treated to reduce cyanide
<br />levels. The mixture of water and spent ore
<br />pumped from the mill site will be so dilute
<br />that it poses no threat of harm to people,
<br />wildlife, or crops.
<br />A[ the end c•f the San Luis project, the
<br />spent ore manag°ment area -with liner
<br />and compacted t,nderlayer remaining in
<br />place -will be dry and ready to be
<br />revegetated and -estored to productivity. In
<br />a very short time, the area will be graded so
<br />that no water cart accumulate on top. Then it
<br />can be covered with topsoil and seeded with
<br />grass. Within tht material itself, any minute
<br />amount of remaining free cyanide continues
<br />to break down, so that its presence in the
<br />ground declines to even more minute lev els
<br />as time passes.
<br />During the ~rroject life, chemicals used
<br />in processing arc. kept under tight security
<br />and conuol. Cyanide is shipped to the mill
<br />as coated dry pe~lets, not as liquid. Cyanide
<br />solutions made ..t the mill will be stored in
<br />the mill area in tanks made of heavy steel
<br />and located on a concrete pad. Shipping
<br />containers are federally-approved, and Du
<br />Pont, a major supplier, assigns numbers to
<br />all cyanide containers and vacks them to
<br />make sure Ihey:ve remmed.
<br />Finally, [he project site will be totally
<br />cleaned up when Battle Mountain is
<br />finished mining. Absolutely no ponds or
<br />tanks of cyanide will be left on site after
<br />closure of the project. The site will be
<br />managed by Battle Mountain until the state
<br />says it has been properly cleaned up, even if
<br />Battle Moun[air is not mining gold.
<br />Battle Mountain's bond of $3.3 million
<br />with the Colora~fo Mined Land Reclamation
<br />Board is exva protection for [he public. The
<br />amount was cal~:ulated by the state to cover
<br />the cost of clear ing up if for some reason
<br />Battle Mountair were unable to do so. It is
<br />additional insur.rnce that Battle Mountain
<br />will meet all of its commitments.
<br />Battle Mountain is committed to
<br />restoring the lard to use for future genera-
<br />tions in as good or better condition than
<br />ever. A detailed plan for clean-up is in
<br />place, and pans of the plan will go into
<br />effect during operation. Like any good
<br />neighbor living up to their responsibilities,
<br />Battle Iviountain will remain at the site until
<br />it is fully cleaned up under state law,
<br />/(~~~
<br />F ATiLE MpOMtVN
<br /><;cto connanrrv
<br />Published by
<br />Battle b7ounrain Gold Company
<br />P.O. Box :~ 10, San Luis, CO 8115?
<br />(719)67?-336?
<br />Gary Dodson
<br />Operations Manager, San Luis Protect
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