Laserfiche WebLink
<br />BRIAN H. COLLINS ~ RECEIVED <br />2732 SUMMERHILL COURT S.W. /~~~ ~ ~ 2006 <br />TUMWATER, WA 98512 <br />(360) 570-0380 ~iyision of Reclamation, <br />brianhcollins@yahoo.com v Mining and safety <br />August 7, 2006 <br />Mr. Carl Mount <br />Division of Minerals and Geology <br />_State.of.Colorado- .- - - -- --- --_ -, ~ . _ _ ~ - -_ _ <br />1313 Sherman Street; Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />Re:/~Dischazge from Gold Basin Mine Settling Ponds <br />Deaz Mr. Mount: <br />This is a followup to our telephone conversation on August 3`d during which you <br />requested that I send you a letter setting forth my observations as to a release of polluted water <br />from settling ponds into a stream channel at the Gold Basin Mine which is situated in Chaffee <br />County near the Chaffee County-Lake County line . My observations aze as follows. <br />On July 30, 2006, at approximately 3:30 p.m., I drove up Lost Canyon which is situated <br />in Chaffee County, Colorado. I have driven up Lost Canyon many times during the past 30 or 40 <br />yeazs and recalled that a placer mining operation in upper Lost Canyon had been active in the <br />past. I noticed that the mining operation had moved up the valley approximately one mile <br />from1974, when I last drove up Lost Canyon. Upon encountering a live stream near timberline, I <br />noticed that the water was orange-brown, resembling the color of water I used to see in <br />California Gulch near Leadville. <br />I could not remember which established roadway to follow near the head of Lost Canyon <br />to reach the area above timberline between Lost Canyon and Boswell Gulch and followed the <br />main road through an open gate entering the Gold Basin Mine Claim where I turned around. I <br />noticed that the owners of the mine were advertising recreational gold panning on their claim and <br />it appeazed to me that members of the public were present for that purpose. I noticed there were <br />two small settling ponds at the mine and each contained orange-brown water. I also noticed that <br />orange-brown water was being discharged from a pipe in the lower settling pond into the stream <br />channel. I am not sure of the name of the creek. Following the creek approximately one mile <br />downstream, I noticed that the orange-brown water coming from the settling ponds was the <br />source of discolored water lower in the valley. <br />