1996-12-09_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M1977493 ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: M1977493
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Date: 12/9/1996
• Doc Name: Failure of an Environmental Protection Facility
• From: DMG
• To: File
• Permit Index Doc Type: General Correspondence
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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5TATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department of Natural Resources
1 31 3 Sherman St, Room 215
Denver,Colorado 80203
Phone [phone] VON
FAX [phone]
DEPARTMENT OF
NATURAL
DATE: December 9, 1996 RESOURCES
Roy Romer
L'To: File No. M-77-493 Governor
James S.Lochhead
Executive Director
'FROM: Allen Sorenson Michael B.Long
Division Director
RE: Failure of an Environmental Protection Facility, Climax Mine,
Climax Molybdenum Company, Permit No. M;,77-493
Bryce Romig, Environmental Coordinator at the Climax Mine, called the
Division of Minerals and Geology at 11: 30 am on Sunday, December 7, 1996
and left a voice mail message reporting an upset condition of the 5-shaft
pump station facilities which are designated as an environmental
protection facility as defined in the regulations of the Mined Land
Reclamation Board. Mr. Romig stated that he had attempted to contact the
Office of Emergency Management to report the situation as required by Rule
8.2. 1(b) , but had been unsuccessful.
The upset was a failure of the pipeline that conveys underground mine
water from 5-shaft in the Storke yard up to Climax Camp. This failure
occurred between 6 and 7 pm on December 6, 1996, and resulted in mine
water flowing down plowed roads on the Climax property, then discharging
out onto Highway 91 on the Arkansas River side of Fremont Pass. The water
froze on the Highway, and no discharge to the river occurred. The
situation was reported to Climax by travellers on Highway 91 and the Lake
County Sheriff's Department at 7: 30 pm, and the pumps were shut off and
the water rerouted by 7:45 pm.
The ice was plowed off of Highway 91 by the Colorado Department of
Transportation. Climax will clean up ice water on the Climax Property.
Any ice the that is not cleaned up will melt in the spring of 1997 and
will enter the stream during high flow of the river. The Water Quality
Control Division has been notified. Climax will provide a written report
on the incident and corrective actions taken.
cc: Bruce Humphries
Carl Mount
C:\WP51\CLIMAX.MTF