1980-07-11_REVISION - M1977493 ‎(5)‎

• Permit No: M1977493
• IBM Index Class Name: REVISION
• Doc Date: 7/11/1980
• Doc Name: TR Request
• From: Climax
• To: MLRB
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III IIIIIIIII'I
CLIMAX 999 11..._ II'll
. _ M COMPANY
A DIVISION OF AMAUC M
13949 WEST COLFAX AVENUE • GOLDEN, COLORADO 80401
[phone]
WESTERN OPERATIONS ,/
1uly 11 , 1980
Mr . Robert Turner , Chairman
Mined Land Reclamation Board V0
Centennial Building , Room 423
1313 Sherman Street
Denver. , Colorado 80203
Re: Technical Revision to Climax Mine Permit No. 77-493
Dear. Mr . Turner :
w,,, 111
This technical revision request incorporates two separate
and distinct r a ` c4n"sEruc=tion pr.�i�ects. The first project is
the construction of a primary haul road from the Open Pit to a
lower. level ( elevation) of the McNulty Waste Rock Dump. The
McNulty road has become necessary because of a complex set of
circumstances. The initial reclamation plan included a project
to reclaim the old original Climax tailing pond ( a pre-1969
disturbance) by covering it with waste rock and r. evegetating the
waste rock. A major portion of the rock from the open pit was
being hauled to the pond to fulfill that committment. Since
then, the economics of mining molybdenum has indicated the
potential feasibility of milling very low grade ore at some point
in the distant future . To allow for this possible development ,
we wish to convert the old tailing, pond to a low grade ore
stockpile . This aspect is covered in the amendment being
submitted simultaneously with this TR. The plan presented in the
amendment indicates that the low grade ore will be stockpiled on
top of the waste rock covering of the pond. If the ore is
milled , the waste rock would remain allowing reclamation to
proceed as described in the original permit. Reclamation of the
pond is identical whether it is covered with waste rock or low
grade ore, and therefore requires no immediate approval .
The McNulty haul road is necessary to haul a greater
portion of the open pit waste rock to the McNulty dump rather
than to the old tailing pond . The road routing is designed for
optimum efficiency. The alternative route (presently existing)
would take the 120 and 170 ton trucks over a ridge involving a
gain and loss of approximately 350 feet in elevation resulting in
an enormous cost differential .