2011-08-08_REPORT - M2007044

• Permit No: M2007044
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 8/8/2011
• Doc Name: Annual sediment pond stability report
• From: Energy Fuels Resources
• To: Mesa County
• Email Name: GRM
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

August 3, 2011
Randy Price
Mesa County Department of Planning
P.O. Box 20000
Grand Junction, CO 81502 -5022
Re: Whirlwind Mine 2010 Annual Sediment Pond Stability Report
Dear Mr. Price,
Energy Fuels, Inc.
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RECEIVE
AUG 10 2011
Division of Reclamation,
Mining and Safety
and Economic Development
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AUG 0 8 2011
GRAND JUNi, s i G „Lv OFFICE
DIVISION OF
RECLAMATION MINING & SAFETY
Energy Fuels Resources Corp. (Energy Fuels) is submitting this letter to update your
office on the monitoring of the sediment pond posts at the Whirlwind Mine near Gateway
Colorado. The Whirlwind Mine is permitted with Mesa County under Conditional Use
Permit No. 2007 -299 CUP 1.
Comments were received by Mesa County (M1987r. Jim Komatinsky) on October 1,
2007 from the Colorado Geological Survey (CGS, Ms. Celia Greenman) regarding the
Whirlwind Mine Conditional Use Permit. The comments of primary concern from CGS
were in regards to stability of the slopes downgradient of the, then proposed, sediment
pond and treatment plant. Despite Energy Fuels opinion that there was no evidence of
slope instability in the mine facilities area, Energy Fuels agreed in subsequent
correspondence with CGS to install and monitor four stability monitoring posts
immediately downgradient of the sediment pond.
The stability monitoring posts were installed along the northern edge of the sediment
pond following its construction in late 2008. The posts consist of steel re -bar, installed
vertically into the ground at least 24" deep. The monitoring program consists of
checking the posts for verticality on a monthly basis and surveying the tops of the posts
annually. A survey was performed on November 7, 2008 to provide initial locations of
the tops of each post. Following installation, the posts were checked on a monthly basis
for plumb between January 2009 and July 2011, with the exception of March and
November 2010. These checks could not be conducted as the mine site was inaccessible
due to excessively deep snow and excessive rain. The posts were found to be plumb in
every check. Follow -up surveys of the posts were conducted on April 21, 2010 and July
19, 2011. The survey results are included in the attached table. The four posts did show
movement from the initial survey (conducted on 11/7/08) and the most recent survey
(conducted on 7/19/11) between 0.04 and 0.11 feet, consistent with survey error and
freeze /thaw movement of the posts. The movement of the posts are in various directions.
Based on the small magnitude and random direction of the movement, we believe there is
no indication of instability associated with the sediment pond.
44 Union Blvd., Suite 600
Lakewood. Colorado 80228
Phone: 303 - 974 -2140
Fax: [phone]