HYDRO20066

• Permit No: M1980244
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 5/1/1997
• Doc Name: CRESSON MINE PN M-80-244 POTENTIAL FOR IMPACTS OF MINING OPERATION ON GROUNDWATER & NEED FOR PERMIT
• From: DMG
• To: CRIPPLE CREEK & VICTOR GOLD MINING CO
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

_~~ • • III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-
STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Depanmenl of NaNral Resources
131 J Sherman 51 , Room 215 l+pl~~~
Denver, Colorado BO?Ol II
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
DEPARTMENT' OF
NATURAL
RESOURCES
Roy Romer
May 1, 1997 Governor
lames S Lochhead
Esec uuve Director
Mr. John Hardaway michaelfl Lnng
Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining Company D~~~s~~~Dneaor
2755 State Highway 67
P.O. Box 191
Victor, CO 80860
RE: Cresson Mine (Permit M-80-244) Potential for impacts of mining
operation on groundwater and need for permit modification
Dear Mr. Hardaway:
On October 7, 1996, the Division wrote to you concerning the
possible need for setting numeric permit conditions at the Cresson
Mine for the protection of local groundwater. You made a
preliminary response to that letter on November 1, 1996.
During the course of the Division's recent review of the hydrologic
situation at the Cresson Mine in conjunction with re-examination of
the 1993 and 1994 HCI reports, the potential impacts of acid rock
drainage on ground water other than the Carlton Tunnel discharge
were also studied. As indicated by the limited data available, at
least some shallow groundwater in the diatreme in the immediate
vicinity of the Cresson Pit and the mine's overburden dumps may not
be suitable for beneficial use. However, ground water outside of
the diateme has demonstrably better quality, ie. potentially
qualifying for domestic or agricultural use. Because the Arequa
Gulch dump, in part, as well as the leach pads appear to lie
outside of the diatreme, some effort to protect this down-gradient
groundwater is considered necessary. The Division understands that
a number of practice-based controls will be instituted by the mine
for these facilities in the future. The effectiveness of these
practice-based permit conditions, nevertheless, needs to be
verified.
In consideration of the above, the Division is notifying CC&V that,
because of the proximity of the Arequa Gulch mine dump and leach
pads to groundwater of domestic and/or agricultural quality, there
is or may be potential for the degradation of that quality which
could affect its use or reasonably potential future use. There is
a corresponding need to modify the Cresson Mine permit to include
permit conditions that comply with Rule 3.1.7 (2) of the