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III IIIIIIIIIIIII III <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Depanmem of Nawral Resou¢es <br />1313 Sherman SI., Room 21 S <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phnne: (3031 866-3567 <br />FA%: (3031 832.8106 <br />Mr Dan Bear <br />Bear Coal Company <br />P.O. Box 174 <br />Paonia CO 81428-1754 <br />RE: Bear #3 Mine 1999 Annual Hydrology Report <br />Dear Mr. Beaz: <br />15 March 2000 <br />The Division has completed review of the 1999 Annual Hydrology Report (AHR) for the <br />Bear #3 Mine (C-81-033). Several comments are relevant to this yeaz's report. <br />DIVISION O F <br />MINERALS <br />GEOLOGY <br />RECLAMATION <br />MI NING•$AF ETY <br />Bill Owens <br />Governor <br />Greg E. V/alcher <br />Execmive Direcor <br />Michael B. Long <br />Division Director <br />First, those issues brought forward in the review letter for the 1998 AHR are relevant. Although <br />you have recently received those comments, they will be reviewed here. <br />(1) The down-gradient alluvial groundwater monitoring well must be replaced. We <br />understand that work has begun on this activity. <br />(2) Please analyze and report the concentration of manganese (Mn) in the "dissolved" <br />state, not total recoverable. This is because standazds published by the Colorado Water <br />Quality Division are expressed as dissolved Mn, not total. <br />(3) Please begin analyzing for copper (Cu), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn) and boron (B). <br />Dischazges of these constituents are limited by the Water Quality Division and the <br />Division of Minerals and Geology needs more data to allow these to be monitored <br />cumulatively along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Specific detection limits are <br />requested as explained in the Mazch Z, 2000, letter. <br />The Division has several other questions specific to the 1999 AHR. <br />Please note that samples must be taken from the alluvial well(s). Although we recognize that <br />water was not sampled from alluvial well AA-3 because of an "oversight," the absence of those <br />data aze compounded by the inability to sample the same well in the summer quarter. We <br />question how a well drilled into the alluvium next to a large perennial river can be dry, even in <br />the summer. Please explain the dry well AA-3 and suggest how to avoid this problem in the <br />future. <br />