HYDRO24137

• Permit No: C1981022
• IBM Index Class Name: Hydrology
• Doc Date: 5/28/1999
• Doc Name: REVIEW OF LATEST ANALYSIS OF MINE WATER OXBOW CARBON AND MINERALS INC SANBORN CREEK COAL MINE CDPS
• From: CDOH
• To: OXBOW MINING INC
• Permit Index Doc Type: NPDES
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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999
STATE OF COLORADO
Oill Owens, Governor
Jane E. Norton, Executive Director
Dedicated to protecting and improving the health and environment olthe people o(Colorado
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. 5. Laboratory and Radiation Services Division
Denver, Colorado 80246-7530 8100 Lowry Blvd.
Phone [phone] Denver CD 80220-6928
Located in Glendale, Colorado [phone]
h((tp://wvnv.cd^hestatpE.cp.Us
Water Quakily Control Urnvon
WQCD-PERMITS-B2
[phone] FAX [phone]
May 25, 1999
Kathleen G. Welt
Environmental Supervisor
Oxbow Mining, Inc.
P.O. Box 535
Somerset, CO 81434
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Colorado Department
of Public Health
and Environment
RECEIVED
MAY 281999
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RE: Review of Latest Analysis of Mine Water
Oxbow Carbon and Minerals, Inc. -Sanborn Creek Coal Mine
CDPS Permit No. CO-0000132, Gunnison Cotmty
Dear Ms. Welt:
The Division has reviewed the analysis that you submitted under the letter dated May 17, 1999, of the
temporary discharge from the mine. These results show this effluent quality to be well below potential effluent
limitations with the exception of total mercury. Most of the results were less than the method detection limits.
Only arsenic, mercury and selenitun were above the respective detection limits. The arsenic and selenium
values are 0.07% and 6.5%, respectively, of the potential limitations.
This is the second analysis that has shown a positive value for mercury. This result was at the detection limit
of 0.0002 mg/Q for the analytical method. The previous analysis was just slightly above the method's detection
limit; the result was 0.0004 mg/Q. The potential effluent limitation for total mercury is 0.00001 mg/Q. It is
possible that [his can be attributed to a "false positive". This sometimes occurs with metals analysis results that
are close to the detection limit.
We would not expect mercury to be present in the discharge. So, we will contact your laboratory and ask them
if they believe that these results are likely to be "false positives". If they do not believe this is the case, it may
require further investigation on the part of the Division. We will keep in contact with you on this.
Please contact me at [phone] if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Jon C. Kublic
Environmental Protection Specialist
Permits Unit, Water Quality Protection Section
x MS-3 File
an Hernandez, CO Division of Minerals and Geology, Coal Program
Local Health Department.