REP07708

• Permit No: M1988112
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 9/22/1997
• Doc Name: BATTLE MTN RESOURCES INC BMRI SAN LUIS MINE PN M-88-112
• From: BATTLE MTN GOLD
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III IIIIIIIIIIIII III
Battle Mountain Gold
ANNE C. BA LDRICaE
VICE PRESIDENT
ENVIRONMENTAL AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
September 19, 1997
Mr. Jim Dille
Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
RE: BATTLE MOUNTAIN RESOURCES, INC. (BMRI)
SAN LUIS MINE, PERMIT NUMBER M-88-112
Dear Jim:

In response to your letter dated August 22, 1997, enclosed please find three copies of
additional information on the testing of tailings material at the San Luis Mine. 'this testing .,
was conducted in conjunction with the reclamation evaluation required as an abatement item
for the 1992 Notice of Violation. Also, enclosed is a brief summary of the entire testing
program, copies of all humidity cell test results for the reclamation evaluation testing and a
discussion of the current performance of the tailings underdrain.
1 would like to provide a brief history of the program and subsequent meetings with
and letters to and frorrr the Division which may help to clarify and focus the remaining
outstanding items.
In November and December of 1992 BMRI conducted a drilling progrann through the
tailings in the upper and lower tailings disposal areas to gain information on the geochemistry
of the various tailings layers. Geochemical testing ensued and in May 1993 BMRI submitted
the information in a two volume report entitled San Luis Mine Reclamation Evaluation. The
Division responded to BMRI in August of ] 993 by sending copies of two intemal memos
with comments on the report. In addition, several of the interested parties to thec Notice of
Violation also sent comments which were forwarded.to.BM;RI.
BMRI felt that the intemal memos reflected a potential misunderstanding of the
operation of the tailings disposal areas, the purpose of the reclamation evaluation and the
drilling program to collect tailings samples. Two meetings were held in late August and
September to clarify the comments in the intemal memos. Interested parties were present at
one of the meetings to provide clarification of their comments on the Reclamation Evaluation.
A review of meeting notes indicates that after BMRI's explanation of the drilling, and
geochemical test programs, many of the Division's concerns appeared to be addressed. The
Division indicated that their main concern was verifying that the pore water in the layer of
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