Laserfiche WebLink
Numbers and Contour Lines are not needed on this drawing as the purpose of this drawing is <br />• to identify the geology of the district and not to show MLE Project features such as surface <br />mine areas, overburden storage areas, and/or other components of the MLE Project. <br />Drawing F-1: The Legend, Elevation Numbers and Contour Lines are included as the <br />drawing was submitted in the MLE Project Application. The Contour Intervals for the <br />surface mining features are at 35 feet, the Contour Intervals for the backfill areas are at 35 <br />feet, the Contour Intervals for the overburden storage areas are at 35 feet, the Contour <br />Intervals for the VLF are at 25 feet, and the Contour Intervals for the surrounding <br />topography are at 35 feet. <br />Drawing 7-2: The Elevation Numbers and Contour Lines are included for this <br />drawing as the drawing was submitted in the MLE Project Application and CC&V feels a <br />legend is not needed on this drawing. The Contour Intervals for the VLF are at 25 feet and <br />the Contour Intervals for the surrounding topography are at 25 feet. <br />IV) Exhibit D-Mining Plan-Rule 6.4.4 <br />A. As stated earlier, the mining operation and the over all description of the operation remain <br />as approved in AM-08. The operator states, "the phase 5 valley leach facility will be the only <br />new facility proposed under this amendment that will contain designated chemicals". <br />However, as proposed, the operator plans to increase the height of the existing Valley Leach <br />• Facility Phases I-IV from the current approved height of 590 feet under amendment # 8 to <br />800 feet under the proposed amendment. Is increasing the height by 200 not considered <br />new construction and new areas for storing "designated chemicals"? Granted, no new liner <br />area will be constructed for the additional ore that is being proposed to be placed on the <br />existing pads, but the total ore volume stored will be increased. <br />Response: <br />The volume of material with the existing Phase I-IV of the VLF does not change as approved <br />by Technical Revision 45, which approved the facility for 300 MT of ore material. The <br />maximum height of the existing VLF is being adjusted to accommodate the Phase 5 extension; <br />however this does not involve any additional surface disturbance or facility construction, and <br />was accomplished through reshaping of the existing Phase I-IV of the VLF as presented in the <br />MLE Project Application. No changes in the Environmental Protection Plan are needed to <br />accommodate this change. <br />As shown on the attached VLF Isopach Map (Attachment 5), only two areas of the revised <br />stacking plan reach the 800 foot depth over liner, neither of which is over a Pregnant Solution <br />Storage Area (PSSA). The average depth of the VLF remains well below the original 590 foot <br />maximum depth to liner, with only approximately 18% of the entire VLF including Phase 5 <br />above 590'. <br />• B. The Amendment proposes to completely backfill or partially backfill, the Main Cresson, <br />North Cresson, East Cresson and Wild Horse areas. All partial or complete backfill pits will <br />be free draining and surface drainage, if any, will be directed to one of several enhanced <br />storm water management ponds. Given the overburden and ore characterization of the <br />7