1990-07-25_REPORT - M1977378

• Permit No: M1977378
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 7/25/1990
• Doc Name: Annual Report
• From: Sunnyside Gold
• To: MLRD
• Permit Index Doc Type: Annual Fee/Report
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

February 1, 1990
TO: A. A. Sobek
FROM: D. A. Benedetti
SUBJECT: Sunnyside Gold Corporation's Lake Emma Plot Study
Report #3
Intermountain Soils, Inc. (IMS) has undertaken a program of revegetation
field plots at Sunnyside Gold Corporation's Lake Emma site to investigate the
problems of acid generation, nutrient cycling and plant species adaptation at
a high altitude site. The plots comprise three different growth media: (1)
lake sediments; (2) lake sediments covered with six inches of topsoil; (3)
waste rock covered with six inches of topsoil. Each growth medium was
divided into four subplots: ( 1) control (received no amendments) ; (2)
organic amendment (manure and peat at a rate of 10 tons per acre) ; (3)
organic amendment and ProMac Systems products; (4) organic amendment, ProMac
Systems products, and fertilizer. All of the test plots received the same
seed mixture.
The test plot area was sampled twice by either BFGoodrich personnel or by Tom
Colbert of IMS. The first samples were obtained on August 11, 1988 during
the initial site evaluation. The second set of samples was obtained on
September 21, 1989, approximately one year after the initiation of the
study. All samples were analyzed nor acid-base account, sulfur forms, lime
requirements, and TM obacillus ferrooxidans populations. The second set of
samples was extracted with distilled water in a 5:1: :water. :soil ratio and the
extract was analyzed for pH, specific conductivity, alkalinity, acidity, and
sulfates.
The acid-base account data (Table 2) show no changes in the characteristics
of the lake sediment between the initial visit (sample 88050-8) and the
second sample date (samples 89044-2 and 89044-3) . All three samples have
pyrite available for oxidation and acid generation. They all have small
quantities of neutralizers available to offset the acid production, but the
ProMac treated lake sediment (sample 89044-3) has a significantly higher
paste pH (6.7) than the two untreated samples (5.0 and 5.1 respectively) .
The pH of the untreated lake sediment (89044-2) has remained stable because
of the neutralizers in the lake sediment, but; the data, show that the
neutralizer content is declining. In cons.rast , the ProMac treated lake
sediment still has sufficient neutralizers present.
Qxapa,r•ing the original waste rock sample (88050-7) to the two samples taken
Septewber 21, 1989, we find that the two samples taken in 1989 are indicative
,of the k ai-_?rd topsoil layer over the waste rock and not the waste rock.
71,!e wiaje discrepancy in pyrite content and neutralizer content between the
two xq-Ae gets mrtfirms this conclusion.