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• <br /> A major factor in achieving chemical and biological improvement <br /> within Tenmile Creek during the past twenty years has been the <br /> interception and treatment by Climax of acidic waters from many <br /> inactive mines in the drainage . In an effort to reduce and <br /> minimize potential pollution of Tenmile Creek from these <br /> sources , Climax has channeled as many of these source drainages <br /> as practicable into the industrial water circuit . Thus , these <br /> waters are treated by Climax prior to discharge downstream of <br /> the Mayflower tailing pond . <br /> Water Treatment and Discharge <br /> As stated previously , Climax treats and discharges water into <br /> Tenmile Creek under Colorado PDES permit CO-0000248 administered <br /> by the Colorado Water Quality Control Division . The current <br /> permit was issued on December 17, 1988 and expires September 30 , <br /> 1993 . Requirements of this permit are on file with the Colorado <br /> Water Quality Control Division and are not discussed in depth <br /> herein . <br /> Research into water treatment systems which would most effi- <br /> ciently remove metals from Climax discharge waters was initiated <br /> in the early 1970 ' s and has continued to the present. After a <br /> process of testing and selection, a treatment plant designed to <br /> • treat 2 , 000 gpm utilizing the Swift Lectro-Clear system was <br /> constructed at the base of the Mayflower tailing pond and placed <br /> into operation in the mid-1970 ' s . This plant provided better <br /> than Best Available Technology ( BAT) levels of treatment when <br /> operated within its design limitations , and was in use through <br /> the early 1980 ' s . <br /> When several years of above-normal precipitation occured sequen- <br /> tially in the early 1980 ' s , it became evident the design <br /> capacity of the waste water treatment plant was inadequate , <br /> particularly when periods of low production ( and consequent <br /> reduced consumptive use of water) coincided with periods of high <br /> runoff . In response to this problem, a number of alternative <br /> treatment schemes were designed , installed , operated , and evalu- <br /> ated . The present system was implemented in the fall of 1985 as <br /> a demonstration project sanctioned by the Colorado Department of <br /> Health . Briefly , the system is an application of the lime <br /> hydroxide precipitation and settling process , albeit on a very <br /> large scale . The implementation of this process allows Climax <br /> to maintain excellent water quality at flow rates several times <br /> higher than the original 2 , 000 gpm , and yet maintain the <br /> requisite flexibility that is necessary for a swing producer . <br /> All future point source discharges from the Climax property <br /> whether during operations or following mine termination will be <br /> . governed by the Colorado PDES permit system. Any post-mining <br /> water quality control program which might be necessary will be <br /> designed and maintained on the basis of this system. <br /> G-6 <br />