PERMFILE116579

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/22/1989
• Doc Name: MINUTES
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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Minutes, March Z2-23, 1989
18. FORr1AL PUBLIC HEARING
r RC ES File No, rd-88-112
333 C1 ay St.
Houston, 7X 77002
All persons wishing to give testimony were sworn.
PAGE 9
Sec. 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, T32S, R71W; Sec. 22, Z3 T02S, R72W;
Costilla County, 2,200 acres. 112 Gold/Silver; open pit with
conventional mill and cyanide heap leach facilities. Consider public
objections and permit application.
h1r. Frank Johnson, Attorney for the Division, was present
Staff addressed the Board providing an overview of the mining operation
and reclamation plans. Four (4) outstanding issues from ~che February
Board Meeting were discussed individually by Staff (a map of the area
was used for reference): 1) a buttress design was submit•ced to provide
stability for the south wall of the west pit, 2) assessing the need for
a slurry wall design - the operator has submitted a design for the
wall, but exact specifications will not be submitted unti~ the actual
need for the slurry wall is determined (about 2 years after the west
pit test excavation is completed), 3) the amount of the Financial
Warranty/Reclamation Bond (calculated in two parts) -for the first
Phase (3-year disturbance), cost of reclamation has been estimated at
52,052,000; for the second Phase (life of mine), cost estimated at
53,300,300, which is the estimated total warranty required for the
site, and 4) an Emergency Response Plan (ATTACHMENT E) - required for
every cyanide operation.
Mr. Dean Massey, an Attorney for Battle Mountain Resource~~, was present
and addressed the Board. Mr. Massey related Battle Mount,ain's
agreement with statements made by Staff during presentation. At this
time, Mr. Massey acknowledged the Board's wish to entertain further
testimony from experts and to ask questions.
Mr. Neal Cohen and Ms. Melanie Rigg, Attorneys representing the
Costilla County Committee for Environmental Soundness (CCf:ES), were
present. Mr. Cohen presented the Board with a Memorandum of (legal anc
factual) Points and Authorities in Opposition to Application No.
M-88-112 (ATTACHMENT F). He asked to be allowed (possibly, during
closing arguments to discuss the issue regarding the jurisdiction of
the Board to grant this Application based on the information submitted.
Pir. Ron Cohen, a Professor at the Colorado Sdiool of Mines, was present
to provide expert testimony on behalf of the Committee on Environmental
Soundness. Mr. Cohen addressed reclamation, specifically, reveaetation
and the use of the haul roads (erosion), as they relate to this
operation. He also discussed the acid-producing capabilities of
materials at the site. He talked about the long term maintenance of
the system (generation of sediment). Mr. Cohen answered grief
questions from the Board, regarding technical reclamation of this site.