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• Water quality analyses of the Packrat discharge during the early 1990s are presented in Table E-2. The <br />data shows that this water is of similar quality to the standing water recently sampled in the Packrat <br />Mine. This is not surprising because the discharge water would have flowed along the floor of the main <br />drifts for some distance prior to exiting the mine portal. This would have created a prolonged contact <br />time between the water and the uranium-bearing sandstone similar to that observed with the standing <br />water. <br />The Rajah 30 Mine is the only mine on Beaver Mesa that historically had a ground water problem. <br />This mine, which is now flooded, discharged approximately 15 gpm into John Brown Canyon during <br />the 1990s when it was still open. Most of the water entering the mine originated from the shaft where it <br />intersected the mid-portion of the Brushy Basin unit. The ground water inflow into the mine decreased <br />substantially when the shaft was sealed with concrete as part of Umetco's reclamation activities (Bates, <br />2007). The mine discharge ceased completely when Umetco sealed the main portal with a concrete <br />bulkhead in 2001 (Fowler, 2007a). <br />• 7.3 Water Treatment and Source Reduction <br />Most of the ground water inflow into the mine during active operations is expected to be consumed by <br />mining activities. Energy Fuels will treat any mine water that needs to be discharged so that it meets <br />Colorado water quality discharge standards for radium and other constituents. The company will also <br />plug point sources of groundwater inflow during mining operations (e.g., open drill holes, seepage <br />around vent shafts) where feasible and install a series of underground sumps to minimize the <br />uncontrolled flow of water in the drifts. Plugging of point sources is expected to reduce the volume of <br />water entering the mine and that would otherwise need to be treated and discharged. Additional source <br />reduction will be performed at the time of mine closure and reclamation including sealing of the <br />portion of the decline that intersects the Lower Brushy Basin Sandstone. Over the long-term, source <br />control is expected to minimize future ground water impacts in the Salt Wash and loss of water from <br />the Brushy Basin and Burro Canyon aquifers located above the mine. Source reduction is described in <br />more detail in Exhibit T. <br />• <br />Whirlwind Mine 07 (rev. April 08) G-18 <br />