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r <br /> The Problem <br /> During site inspections in September, 1986, the Climax Mine was <br /> cited by the MLRD [under C.R.S. 34-32-116 (1 ) (j ) j for blowing <br /> dust and by the Pueblo District Office of the Colorado Depart- <br /> ment of Health, APCD, for particulate emissions exceeding the <br /> 20% opacity standard as per Colorado Air Quality Control Regula- <br /> tion No. l, Section III. D. l.c. The citation pertained to wind <br /> blown tailing dust. In addition, the inspection report <br /> indicated that citizen 's complaints had been received relative <br /> to blowing tailing dust. <br /> Climax recognized that incidents of blowing tailing occurred <br /> over past years even though efforts were made to prevent these <br /> occurrences. Since 1974, Climax has had an intensive tailing <br /> dust suppression plan in place. Approximately $4 million has <br /> been expended on control of particulate emissions from the <br /> tailing ponds during this period. Beginning in 1987, control <br /> efforts were considerably intensified. It should be noted that <br /> high intensity winds occur with some regularity at elevations <br /> above 10, 000 feet in Colorado. These winds many times exceed 50 <br /> mph. Thus, regardless of what type of suppression technology is <br /> applied, best engineering technology which is economically <br /> • achievable cannot hope to achieve 100% success. <br /> The Present Plan <br /> The dust suppression plan which has been in effect since 1974 <br /> relies on the use of Coherex, a petro-cohesive. Coherex has <br /> been used successfully in the metal mining industry in the west <br /> for many years . Woodward-Clyde Consultants was retained by <br /> Climax in 1981 to test and compare Coherex with several other <br /> dust suppressants , the results of which were favorable for <br /> Coherex. A copy of this report is attached for reference to the <br /> full dust control plan on file. In addition, two U.S. Bureau of <br /> Mines research publications (RI #7261 and RI #7896 ) are attached <br /> to that plan as evidence of the accepted use of Coherex as a <br /> good tailing dust retardant. <br /> Coherex is applied on the unwetted portions of the tailing ponds <br /> using two ( 2 ) , five-wheeled, rubber-tired Terra-Gator agricul- <br /> tural spray vehicles with 60 ' booms. The Coherex concentrate is <br /> diluted at a ratio of 9: 1 water to Coherex and applied at a rate <br /> of 1/2 gallon per square yard on previously coated areas and 3/4 <br /> gallon per square yard on fresh tailing. In the past, Climax <br /> has applied the solution to both dam faces and flat beach areas <br /> in the Spring (late June after snow-melt and a drying period) <br /> and again in the late Fall. <br /> • <br /> K-2 <br />