Laserfiche WebLink
999 <br /> STATE OF COLORADO <br /> DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br /> Department of Natural Resources P P r4 <br /> 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br /> Denver,Colorado 80203 <br /> Phone:(303)866-3567 <br /> FAX:(303)832-8106 VOIA <br /> DEPARTMENT OF <br /> NATURAL <br /> RESOURCES <br /> Roy Romer <br /> � Governor <br /> DATE: 'May 23, 1996 Exeeut ve Dire <br /> Michael B Long <br /> PTO: Allen Sorenson Division Director <br /> I FROM: Harry Posey Pf G <br /> cl el <br /> Ale <br /> RE: 4TR-19, American Tunnel, Permit No. M 77-378 <br /> My review of the American Tunnel TR-19 application focused on the geochemical aspects of the <br /> injections uid and their potential consequenses. <br /> It is evident that injection of a high alkalinity solution is tied to EPA's recommendations. The <br /> injection of such fluid will have positive ramifications as long as the injection fluid mixes with other <br /> water in the mine pool or with water in pore spaces and fractures above the mine pool during <br /> resaturation of the drained rock volume. If the alkaline injection water fails to mix with these waters, <br /> it will itself dissolve the host rock and release their constituents to the fluid until the fluid is <br /> neutralized. <br /> I spoke with Larry Perino about the potential for fluid mixing and he is convinced that relatively <br /> effective mixing will be achieved. The path between the injection point and the developing mine pool <br /> will be a fairly tortuous one; other extant fluid will be traversed along the way; and the chances for <br /> mixing he says seem good. Even if the alkaline injection fluid does not mix well with the mine pool, <br /> it is not likely to matter overall as the addition of alkali is a bonus to the ultimate mine pool, and the <br /> Sunnyside/State settlement agreement does not depend for its success on the addition of alkali. <br /> Mr. Perino indicated that the choice of alkaline material is currently still undecided, but that the choice <br /> is weighing heavily in favor of lime as there may be temperature problems with caustic soda and <br /> because caustic is more dangerous to handle. I considered the potential environmental effects of Na - <br /> not due to a spill of process material but due to eventual seepage from the mountain - but dismissed <br /> these concerns upon learning that the first likely point of agricultural use of the potential seep water <br /> would be some several tens of miles downstream. High Na concentrations might be of concern for <br /> soils and agricultural well being, but I understand from you and Mr. Perino that the potential seep <br /> water that may reach surface streams is many miles downstream, and that there are numerous <br /> 1 <br />