2008-12-23_REPORT - M1977004

• Permit No: M1977004
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 12/23/2008
• Doc Name: 2008 Annual Geotechnical Report
• From: Homestake
• To: DRMS
• Email Name: RCO
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

/ HOM???iK.E
Grants NM Office
December 15, 2008'
RECEIVED
DEC 2 6 2008
Division of Reclamation,
Mining and Safety
Mr. Bob Oswald
Colorado Department of Natural Resources
?`y+P7 Division of Minerals and Geology
691 CR 233, Suite A-2
Durango, CO 81301
RE: HOMESTAKE PITCH RECLAMATION PROJECT
2008 ANNUAL GEOTECHNICAL REPORT (M-1977-00
Dear Mr. Oswald:
Alan D. Cox
Manager - Pitch
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Attached please find the 2008 Geotechnical Report for the waste rock disposal areas at the
Homestake Pitch Reclamation Project. The waste rock dumps were inspected monthly in 2008,
except when winter conditions prohibited access, in accordance with the recommended monitoring
program. The history of the rock dumps has been provided in previous annual reports and is not
repeated in this discussion. A site map with piezometer locations is provided as Figure 1.
Detailed analysis and presentation of the 2008 data from all piezometers are provided in the
following pages.
The visual inspections conducted in 2008 indicate stable conditions for the Indian Creek and Tie
Camp waste rock dumps. The water levels in the waste rock dump piezometers in 2008 continued
to show seasonal fluctuations similar to those observed in the past three years. A chart with 2008
data is provided as Figure 2 and a chart with piezometers water levels monitoring since 1996
provided as Figure 3. The Y-axis on these plots is labeled as depth to water from ground surface.
Please note that prior to October 2001 data was not obtained from Piezometer IC10600 due to the
presence of a gravel obstruction that blocked the passage of the piezometer. In 2008, no data was
collected from Piezometer IC 10370. In 2007, the local elk herd destroyed the stand-pipe casing,
and consequently caused the upper part of the borehole soil to collapse into the piezometer casing.
This resulted in approximately six feet of rock debris being introduced into the bottom of the
piezometer, rendering it non-functional. We were unable to clear the rock from the bottom of the
casing in 2008; we will attempt to address and resolve this problem during the 2009 field season.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact me in the Grants NM office (505) 28711456 x25 or
via cell phone at [phone].
Sincerely,
J?__ ;-) (
Alan D. Cox
Project Manager - Pitch.
cc: Rocky Chase - Barrick Gold NARBU
Vern Kelso - HMCoC - Sargents
Phillip De Dycker - ARCADIS-US, Inc.
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Homestake Mining Company of California ? P.O. Box 98, Grants, NM 87020
Tele: [phone] ? FAX: [phone]