2012-09-28_REVISION - M1977307 ‎(23)‎

• Permit No: M1977307
• IBM Index Class Name: REVISION
• Doc Date: 9/28/2012
• Doc Name: EPP Submittal- Ex. F to Emergency Response and Control Plan
• From: Cotter
• To: DRMS
• Type & Sequence: AM1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Constituent
SPLP
Laboratory
results
Federal
MCL
Federal
Secondary
Standards
CO.
Groundwater
Standards
CO.
Agriculture
Guidelines
Fluoride
0.2 mg /I
2.0 mg /I
4.0 mg /I
2 mg /I
Sulfate
13 mg /I
250 mg /I
250 mg /I
TDS
109 mg /I
500 mg /I
pH
9.85
Aluminum
9.4 mg /I
0.05 -0.2
mg /I
5 mg /I
Arsenic
0.054 mg /I
0.010 mg /I
0.010 mg /I
0.1 mg /I
Molybdenum
0.002 mg /I
0.035 mg /I
Selenium
0.006 mg /I
0.050 mg /I
0.050 mg /I
Uranium
0.0008 mg /I
0.030 mg /I
0.030 mg /I
Vanadium
3.0 mg /I
0.1 mg /I
Zinc
0.15 mg /I
2 mg /I
Gross Alpha
972 pCi /I
15 pCi /I
15 pCi /I
Radium 226
173 pCi /I
5 p0/1
Table 6: Constituents of Concern from the CM -25 Waste Rock Stockpile
There are several constituents that exceed Federal and State regulations and guidelines.
These constituents include aluminum, arsenic, vanadium, gross alpha, and radium 226.
Aluminum exceeds secondary drinking water standards and Colorado Agriculture
Guidelines. The main environmental issue concerning aluminum is potential toxicity to
aquatic organisms. The EPA guidelines are for the pH range of 6.5 to 9.0 while the EPP
sample at CM -25 has a pH of 9.4. In general, the more sensitive an organism is to a low
pH, the stronger the toxic response to Al concentrations to falling pH levels (Baker and
Schofield, 1982). Based on the site distance to the nearest water body, it is highly
unlikely, even under the most extreme conditions, that aluminum could be transported
such a large distance and impact aquatic life in the San Miguel River. Aluminum is
probably the result of Brushy Basin shales.
Arsenic exceeds both Federal drinking water standards and Colorado guidelines. In the
natural environment, arsenic is fairly abundant in the earth's crust and in smaller amounts
in rock, soil, water and air; it is present in many minerals. About a third of the arsenic in
the atmosphere comes from natural sources, such as volcanoes, and the rest comes from
human activities. Natural geological arsenic contamination can be found in high levels in
drinking water that comes from deep wells, as is the case of Bangladesh. Some industrial
processes such as mining, metal smelting or coal -fired power plants contribute to arsenic
in the air, water and soil. The use of arsenic in some agricultural pesticides and certain
chemicals used to preserve wood also results in environmental pollution. Arsenic is also
associated with uranium deposits and its potential exposure to the environment should be
minimized using best management practices such as covering waste rock areas with
available soil and vegetation.
O'Connor Design Group Inc. T - 20