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Pitch Reclamation <br />Project Colorado Mined <br />• Land Reclamation Board <br />2006 Annual Reclamation <br />Report <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />Homestake Mining Company (Homestake) operated the PiTCh Uranium mine in <br />Saguache County, Colorado from 1979 until 1984. The mine extracted uranium ore <br />and trucked it to their mill in Grants, New Mexico. In 1984, mining was suspended <br />and the mine was placed in a care and maintenance status. Incremental reclamation <br />and revegetation of mine site disturbances were performed throughout the period of <br />1985 to 1993. In 1993, Homestake initiated the process of permanently closing the <br />mine. <br />Since 1993, closure activities have included pit wall grade-down and partial <br />backfilling of the North Pit to reduce pit wall movement, the contouring and <br />revegetation of approximately 230 acres of disturbed area, construction of a plug in <br />the Pinnacle Adit to reduce seepage and improve water quality, monitoring of slope <br />stability in the North and South pits, construction of surface water controls, and the <br />dismantling and removal of the Radium Treatment Plant (RTP) and associated <br />• foundation materials and soils including on-site disposal in the Tie Camp Creek <br />Disposal Cell. <br />During 2006, Homestake maintained existing mine facilities and fulfilled permit <br />related compliance programs which included the following activities: <br />• Monitored water quality discharged at the point of compliance, SW-33, and <br />submitted monthly discharge monitoring reports to the Colorado Department <br />of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) per the requirements of the <br />Colorado Water Discharge System (CWDS) permit #CO-0022756; <br />• Continued activities under the conditions of the Radioactive Materials <br />License issued by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment - <br />Hazardous Materials & Waste Management Division (Permit #150-01, <br />Amendment 13); <br />• Continued improvements in the drainage, stabilization, and reclamation in <br />the constructed wetlands area (site of the former Radium Treatment Plant); <br />• Continued reclamation work on the Tie Camp Creek Disposal Cell including <br />• repairing a low spot in the cover material where water was ponding; <br />