Laserfiche WebLink
Schwartzwalder Facts -- April 22, 2010 <br />M-1977-300 <br />Basics <br />Operator: Cotter Corporation <br />Location: Jefferson County <br />Permitted acreage: 57 acres <br />Permit type: 112d-2 <br />Financial Warranty: $104,083 <br />PMLU: Wildlife habitat <br />IA,? &1j ve-----4 <br />y/29//0 <br />Mining History <br />Underground mine - operated from 1953 to May 2000 <br />Permitted by MLRD in 1977 Total mine depth = 2,222 ft <br />Water treatment system implemented in 1972 <br />Status of Reclamation <br />Mining completed in 2000/ Dewatering ceased May 2000, mine allowed to flood <br />All waste rock stockpiles regraded and revegetated <br />All surface buildings removed except water treatment plant and domestic well pump house. <br />Sumps and collection trenches for capturing alluvial ground water are still in place. <br />Mine pool: Rising since dewatering ceased in 2000, but now asymptotic; uranium concentration 41 mg/L (CO regulatory <br />limit is 0.03 mg/L) <br />Designated Mining Operation Background (DMO) <br />3 August 2007: DMO notification sent to Cotter. <br />30 August 2007: Cotter appealed and meetings were held over the Fall of 07 concerning operator/applicant dispute <br /> designation. <br />Jan 08 - May 08 When it was learned that HB-08-1161 * was imminent - appeal was suspended. <br />6 June 2008: HB 08-1161 letter sent to Cotter. *HB-08-1161 Requires that all uranium operations be DMOs <br />12 Sep 08: Cotter acknowledges and states intent to submit EPP within 180 days <br />Mar 09- Aug09 Cotter requests extensions for submittal of EPP - rule allows for a year extension <br />22 July 2009: Based on data in semi-annual effluent report sent by Cotter to CDPHE, DRMS sent letter to Cotter <br /> regarding possibility of an emergency response. Emergency response is not yet needed. <br />10 Aug 2009: Cotter submits Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) <br />21 October 2009: DRMS adequacy review on EPP sent; Cotter advised that DRMS considers the mine wall rocks and <br /> Ralston Creek alluvium as toxic-producing material under Hard Rock Rule 1.1(1) due to the presence <br /> of uranium and other constituents that could be released to surface and ground water. <br />19 Jan 2010 Cotter requests 90 day extension to answer adequacy review questions. <br />19 April 2010: Revised EPP submitted by Cotter and will address mitigation of the toxic-forming materials in the <br /> mine underground and alluvium, and a monitoring program to evaluate mitigation progress. <br />Ongoing Monitoring <br />Five surface water sample sites sampled monthly. <br />Ten ground water monitoring wells and one domestic well sampled quarterly. <br />Inspections <br />Field inspection June 2007 / Flyover inspection August 2007 <br />Other Licenses <br />1) CDPHE Radioactive Materials License RML-369-03 still active. Cotter still needs to remove some contaminated soil <br />from the property before license can be terminated. <br />2) CDPHE Discharge Permit CO-0001-244 issued for the mine water treatment plant. Mine dewatering effluent <br />required treatment for removal of uranium and radium prior to discharge to Ralston Creek, to a discharge concentration <br />limit of 0.766 mg/L for uranium and 3 pCi/L for radium. The facility has not discharged since June 2002. <br />3) CDPHE air quality permits: Two are still active.