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Chmax Molybdenum Climax Mine <br /> Highway 91 - Fremont Pass <br /> 0429 <br /> A Freeport-McMoRan Company Climax, )4 87718 <br /> p P Y Phone (719)486-7718 <br /> Fax(719)486-2251 <br /> October 10, 2022 <br /> Mr. Lucas West <br /> Environmental Protection SpecialistQ� <br /> Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br /> Department of Natural Resources OIRpF RECIAN��t0� <br /> 1001 E 62°d Ave., Room 215 �`'�tvw1,t4GW o. <br /> Denver, Colorado 80216 <br /> RE: Climax Mine, Permit No. M-1977-493, Written Evaluation of August 5,2022 Event and <br /> Related Corrective Action Plan <br /> Dear Mr. West, <br /> The purpose of this submittal is to provide details on the event that occurred at Climax on August 5, <br /> 2022 and the related corrective actions that Climax will implement to prevent potential future <br /> occurrences. This submittal is in response to the inspection conducted by DRMS at Climax on <br /> August 8, 2022 and subsequent request from DRMS for a written evaluation of the failure, steps <br /> being taken to mitigate potential future failures in the area, and to provide the full water quality <br /> results from the sample taken at the time of the event. In addition, this submittal also contains an <br /> evaluation of the secondary containment facilities related to the failure. <br /> Evaluation of the Failure <br /> The failure occurred in a pressurized pipeline system that conveys seepage collected from near the <br /> toe of Mayflower Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) (also known as 5 Dam), back to the Mayflower <br /> TSF operating pool. More specifically, the failure occurred in a coupler fitting on a section of <br /> pipeline that leads to a pigging station entry point. The coupler fitting that failed is a Mega- <br /> Coupling Series 3800 Restrained Coupling, manufactured by EBAA Iron, Inc. Climax has been <br /> unable to determine if the fitting failed due to service unsuitability or if it was defective. Climax has <br /> not experienced prior failures of other similar fittings of the same material and manufacturer. <br /> Based on visual observations and estimated times, it was approximated that 1,800 gallons of seepage <br /> leaked from the failed fitting into the nearby drainage that eventually leads to Climax's CDPS <br /> Outfalls 002A and 001A, and the beginning of Tenmile Creek. Upon discovery of the leak at 11:45 <br /> am on August 5, 2022, Climax took immediate action and diverted the leak back into the adjacent <br /> Mayflower Clear Pond by 12:00 pm and had shut down the pressurized pipeline by 12:15 pm. <br /> Repairs were immediately implemented and completed by 6:30 pm the same day. <br /> Mitigation of Potential Future Failures <br /> Climax will undertake the following actions to prevent potential future failures: <br /> • Confirm with the fitting manufacturer to determine if the failed fitting types are suitable for <br /> the intended service. If those fittings are determined not suitable for continued service, then <br /> Climax will identify and replace those fittings with a fitting suitable for the intended service. <br /> • Climax will complete an engineering study this winter to evaluate options for secondary <br /> containment and additional storage/pumping capacity for the Mayflower Pump Station area. <br />