2010-04-19_REPORT - M1977004

• Permit No: M1977004
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 4/19/2010
• Doc Name: Annual Fee/Report/Map
• From: Homestake Mining Company
• To: DRMS
• Permit Index Doc Type: Annual Fee/Report
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Pitch Reclamation Project
Colorado Mined Land
Reclamation Board
2009 Annual
Reclamation Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Homestake Mining Company of California (Homestake) operated the Pitch Uranium
mine in Saguache County, Colorado from 1979 until 1984. The mine extracted
uranium ore and trucked it to their mill in Grants, New Mexico. In 1984, mining was
suspended and the mine was placed in a care and maintenance status. Incremental
reclamation and revegetation of mine site disturbances were performed throughout the
period of 1985 to 1993. In 1993, Homestake initiated the process of permanently
closing the mine.
Since 1993, closure activities have included pit wall grade-down and partial backfilling
of the North Pit to reduce pit wall movement, the contouring and revegetation of the
approximately 230 acres of disturbed area, construction of a plug in the Pinnacle Adit
to reduce seepage and improve water quality, monitoring of slope stability in the North
and South pits, construction of surface water controls, and the dismantling and removal
of the Radium Treatment Plant (RTP), as well as associated foundation materials and
soils. This includes on-site disposal in the Tie Camp Creek Disposal Cell.
During 2009, Homestake maintained the existing mine facilities and fulfilled permit and
license related compliance programs which included the following activities:
• Monitored water quality discharged at the point of compliance (POC),
SW-33, and submitted monthly discharge monitoring reports to the Water
Quality Control Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment (CDPHE) per the requirements of the Colorado Discharge
Permit System (CDPS) permit #CO-0022756 and worked with the agency on
the final renewal permit that took effect January 1, 2010;
• Continued activities under the conditions of the Radioactive Materials
License (RML) issued by the Colorado Department of Health and
Environment - Hazardous Materials & Waste Management Division (Permit
#150-01, Amendment 14);
• Continued improvements in the drainage, stabilization, and reclamation in
the constructed wetlands area (site of the former Radium Treatment Plant);
• Continued reclamation work on the Tie Camp Creek Disposal Cell including
grading, harrowing, scarifying and seeding to facilitate erosion control and
drainage management on the top of, and around, the disposal cell;
•
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