Record of decision and plan of operations approval : Ruby Hill mine expansion - East Archimedes project

2005·2.6 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Battle Mountain Field Office

88067333
UnitedStatesDepartmentoftheInterior
BureauofLandManagement
BattleMountainFieldOffice
BattleMountain,Nevada October2005
Ruby Hill Mine Expansion -
EastArchimedes Project
RecordofDecisionand
PlanofOperationsApproval
HD COOPERATINGAGENCIES:
243 EurekaCounty
.N3
R839 NevadaDepartmentofWildlife
2005c
c.3
MISSIONSTATEMENT
TheBureauofLandManagementisresponsibleforstewardshipofourpubliclands.TheBLMiscommitted
tomanage,protect,andimprovetheselandsinamannertoservetheneedsoftheAmericanpeople.
Managementisbasedupontheprincipleofmultipleuseandsustainedyieldofournation’sresourceswithin
aframeworkofenvironmentalresponsibilityandscientifictechnology.Theseresourcesincluderecreation,
rangelands,timber,minerals,watershed,fishandwildlifehabitat,wilderness,airandscenicquality,aswell
asscientificandculturalvalues.
BLM!BM!PL-051018+1793
Cover: AerialphotographofexistingRubyHillMine(2002).Viewisfromthenorthwestlookingsoutheast.
.AJ'S
QooSc
^,3
RECORDOFDECISION
AND
PLANOFOPERATIONSAPPROVAL
RubyHillMineExpansion-
EastArchimedesProject
NVN-067762
NV063-EIS04-34
U.S.DepartmentoftheInterior
BureauofLandManagement
BattleMountainFieldOffice
50BastianRoad
BattleMountain,NV89820
Approvedby:
GeraidM.Smith
FieldManager
October2005

RECORDOFDECISION
RECORDOFDECISIONAND
PLANOFOPERATIONSAPPROVAL
HOMESTAKEMININGCOMPANY
RUBYHILLMINEEXPANSION-
EASTARCHIMEDESPROJECT
PlanofOperations#:NVN-067762
EIS#:NV063-EIS04-34
PREPAREDBY:
BureauofLandManagement
BattleMountainFieldOffice
BattleMountain,Nevada
COOPERATINGAGENCIES:
EurekaCounty
NevadaDepartmentofWildlife
Introduction
Homestake Mining Company ofCalifornia (Homestake), a wholly owned subsidiary of Barrick Gold
Corporation,hassubmittedthePlanofOperationsAmendment(Plan)fortheRubyHillMineExpansion-
EastArchimedesProject(Project)totheBureauofLandManagement(BLM)BattleMountainFieldOffice.
ThePlanwouldexpandthecurrentRubyHillMine,whichissituatedwithinthehistoricEurekaMining
DistrictinEurekaCounty,Nevada,approximately0.7milenorthwestofEureka,Nevada.
ActionsassociatedwiththeProjectconsistofthefollowing:expansionoftheopenpitandpitactivityarea.
WestandEastwasterockdisposalareas,existingheapleachpad,andperimeterfence;developmentof
dewateringfacilitiesandsoilborrowarea;constructionofanewhaulroad,limesilo,stormwatereventpond
attheheapleachfacility,andgrowthmediastockpiles;andrealignmentofapowerlinesegmentandan
accessroadsegment.TheProjectwillextendtheminelifebyapproximately7years,followed byan
estimatedadditional2yearsforfinalreclamation.
TheProjectwillresultinapproximately744acresofnewdisturbanceonpublicandprivateland.TheProject
islocatedwithinthepreviouslyapprovedRubyHillMinepermitarea,whichisinthesouthernportionof
Township20North(T20N),Range53East(R53E)andthenorthernportionofT19N,R53E.
Decision
ThedecisionoftheFieldManager,BLMBattleMountainFieldOffice,istoselecttheProposedAction
analyzedintheRubyHillMineExpansion-EastArchimedesProjectFinalSupplementalEnvironmental
1
RECORDOFDECISION
ImpactStatement(FinalSEIS)asmodifiedwithmitigationand monitoring requirements,astheBLM’s
PreferredAlternative.DevelopmentoftheProjectisauthorizedbythisdecision.TheBLMdecisionisbased
ontheactionproposedinthePlanNVN-067762,submittedtotheBLMpursuantto43CodeofFederal
Regulations(CFR)§3809. Implementationofthisdecisionwiththeidentified mitigationandmonitoring
measureswillnotcauseundueorunnecessarydegradationofthepubliclands.
AlternativesanalyzedindetailintheFinalSEISincludedtheProposedActionandNoActionAlternative.
Threeadditional alternativeswereconsidered but notanalyzed in detail.All mitigation thathas been
developed and adopted is consistent with regulations and policies in order to avoid or minimize
environmentalharmresultingfromtheselectionofthePreferredAlternative.Meansormethodstoavoidor
minimizeenvironmentalharmresultingfromtheselectionofthePreferredAlternativehavebeenadopted.
Allmitigationwillbeimplementedandenforced.
ManagementConsiderations
The rationalefortheabovedecision issupported bytheSurface ManagementRegulations (43 CFR
§3809),theFederalLandPolicyandManagementAct(FLPMA)of1976,andtheMiningLawof1872,as
amended. The Plan has been analyzed under the Council on Environmental Quality implementing
regulationsfortheNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct(NEPA)of1969.SelectionoftheProposedActionwill
allowHomestaketoundertakeandcontinuealegitimateuseofthepubliclandsinanenvironmentallysound
mannerwithoutcausingundueorunnecessarydegradation.
BLMhasselectedthePreferredAlternative,basedontheanalysisintheFinalSEIS,thatbestfulfillsthe
agency’sstatutorymissionandresponsibilities,givingconsiderationtoeconomic,environmental,technical,
andotherfactors.TheBLMhasdeterminedthatthePreferredAlternativeistheProposedAction(inclusive
oftheapplicant-committedenvironmentalprotectionmeasures)detailedinChapter2.0oftheFinalSEIS,
includingthemonitoringandmitigationmeasuresspecifiedinChapter3.0.
The selection ofthe PreferredAlternative ratherthanthe NoActionAlternative is partiallybasedon
beneficialimpactsassociatedwithsocioeconomicvalues,asthisregionishighlydependentonthemining
industryforemployment.ThePreferredAlternativewillresultinbeneficialimpactsonsocioeconomicsas
opposedtotheNoActionAlternative,whichwouldresultintheeliminationofupto7additionalyearsof
employmentforupto130individuals.Inaddition,thePreferredAlternativewillprovidefortheextractionof
orereservesasallowedbytheShoshone-EurekaResourceManagementPlan(RMP).
TheBLM,NevadaDepartmentofWildlife,EurekaCounty,andHomestakehavecollaboratedtomitigate
environmentalimpactsthatmayresultfromtheproject.Homestake’sproposedenvironmentalprotection
measuresandthemitigationmeasuresoutlinedbelowwillminimizetheadverseenvironmentalimpacts
identifiedintheFinalSEIS.ThemonitoringrequirementsofthePlanandFinalSEISwillassistHomestake,
theBLM,andothersinidentifying,mitigating,oravoidinganyunforeseenenvironmentalimpactsthatmay
occur.
2
RECORDOFDECISION
The BLM incoordinationwiththeNevada DivisionofEnvironmental Protection hasdeterminedthata
reclamationbondamountof$14,720,077isrequiredforthesurfacereclamationoftheexpansionand
existingfacilitiesattheRubyHillMine.Thisreclamationbondwillcoversuchitemsasdetoxificationofthe
heapleachpad,recontouringofslopes,placementofgrowthmedia,andrevegetation.Thebondissubject
tochangebasedonperiodic(3-year)reviewofthereclamationcostestimate.
ThePreferredAlternativeisinconformancewiththeShoshone-EurekaRMPRecordofDecision(ROD)that
states:“Makeavailableandencouragedevelopmentofmineralresourcestomeetnational,regional,and
localneedsconsistentwithnationalobjectivesforanadequatesupplyofminerals.”TheRMPRODalso
states“Allpubliclandsintheplanningareawillbeopenforminingandprospectingunlesswithdrawnfrom
mineralentry.”
TheProjectisinconformancewiththePresident’sNationalEnergyPolicyasputforthinExecutiveOrder
13212andwillnothaveanadverseimpactonenergydevelopment,production,supply,and/ordistribution.
SummaryoftheProposedAction
PrincipalexpansioncomponentsoftheProposedActionincludethefollowing:
• Expansionoftheopenpitandpitactivityarea
• ExpansionoftheWestandEastwasterockdisposalareas
• Expansionoftheexistingheapleachpad
• Dewateringfacilities
• Newhaulroad
• Newlimesilo
• Newstormwatereventpondattheheapleachfacility
• Growthmediastockpiles
• Realignmentofpowerlinesegment
• Realignmentofaccessroadsegment
• Expansionoftheperimeterfence
• Soilborrowarea
PrincipalexistingfacilitiesutilizedfortheProposedActionincludethefollowing:
• Crushing,grinding,andagglomerationfacility
• Adsorption,desorption,andrecovery(ADR)plant
• Warehouse/shop
• Administration/laboratorybuildings
SummaryoftheNoActionAlternative
UndertheNoActionAlternative,HomestakewouldnotdeveloptheEastArchimedesorebodyaspresently
defined. Homestakewouldcontinuetorecovergold andsilverattheexisting heapleachfacilitiesas
3
RECORDOFDECISION
previouslyapproved.Uponcompletionofthecurrentlypermittedminingoperation,theexistingfacilities
wouldbeclosedandreclaimedinaccordancewithcurrentpermitsandapplicablefederalandstateclosure
andreclamationrequirements.Followingclosureandreclamation,thetotalareathathadbeensubjectto
miningandreclamationwouldbeapproximately696acres.
SummaryoftheBLM-preferredAlternative
The BLM-preferred Alternative is the Final SEIS Proposed Action, including all applicant-committed
environmentalprotectionmeasuresincorporatedintothedesignoftheProposedActionandalladditional
monitoringandmitigationmeasuresdevelopedintheFinalSEIS.
EnvironmentalProtectionMeasures
EnvironmentalprotectionmeasuresidentifiedinSection2.3.14oftheFinalSEISandincorporatedintothe
Plan that will be implemented as standard operating procedures for the Preferred Alternative are
summarized below. This ROD and Plan approval expressly incorporates each of the following
environmentalprotectionmeasures.
WaterResources,SurfaceWaterManagement,andSedimentControl:
• Currenterosioncontrolmeasuresarecontainedinthemine’sStormWaterPollutionPreventionPlan
(SWPPP) (WESTEC 1997b). These measures include minimizing the area ofsoil disturbances:
implementing concurrentreclamation: and installationoftemporarydiversion ditches, berms, and
settlingbasins,asrequired.Similarmeasureswillbeimplementedduringconstruction,operation,and
reclamationoftheproposedexpansion.
• Stormwaterdiversionsystems,asoutlinedintheSWPPP,willbeconstructedaroundnewdisturbance
areas,asneeded.Designcriteriaforanypermanentdiversionswillbebasedona100year,24-hour
stormevent.AppropriatemeasureswillbetakentoensurethattheEurekaCountywaterlineand
HogpenCanyonroadwillnotbeadverselyaffectedbytypicalstormwaterdrainagefromsitediversion
systems.
• AllexistingroadsattheRubyHillMinehavebeenconstructedandmaintainedtoprovideadequate
drainageandtominimizedamagetosoilandwaterresources.Thesegoalshavebeenmetthroughthe
installationofditches,settlingbasins,andculvertssizedtomeetapplicablestandards.Thesepractices
willcontinueduringconstructionandmaintenanceofnewmineexpansion-relatedroads.Measures
outlinedintheSWPPP(e.g.,hayorstrawbalebarriersandsiltfences)andothermeasuresnot
identifiedintheSWPPP(e.g.,dispersionterraces,gabionsedimenttraps,orgrassfilterwaterways)will
beimplemented,asrequired.
• Toconfirmpotentialgroundwaterdrawdownmodelpredictions,Homestakehascommittedtoinstalling
twoadditionalgroundwaterlevelmonitoringwellsadjacenttotheminesite,whichwillbemonitoredon
aquarterlybasisinconjunctionwithotherexistingwellsalreadyinplace.Itisanticipatedthatoneofthe
4
RECORDOFDECISION
newmonitoringwellswillbelocatedneartheCountyFairgroundsandtheotherwillbelocatednearthe
U.S.Highway50/SR278intersection.
AcidRockDrainage:
• Geochemicaltesting has been conducted on representative samples ofwaste rockfromthe pit
expansionareatodeterminethenetacid-neutralizingcapacity.Theresultswillbeverifiedthrough
implementationofawasterockandoverburdentestingprogramduringtheoperationalphaseofthe
expansion,similartotheprogramthatwasinplaceduringthepreviousminingoperations.Specific
testingproceduresforthisprogramarecontainedintheexistingStateofNevadaWaterPollution
ControlPermitfortheRubyHillProject.
EmergencyResponseandSpiliContingency:
• Spillpreventionmeasuresandcontingencyplansforcontainingaccidentalspillsandforpreventing
uncontrolleddischargestotheenvironmentcurrentlyareinplaceattheproject.Thesemeasuresare
outlinedintheEmergencyResponseandContingencyPlan,whichincludestheSPCCPlan(WESTEC
1997c). Implementationofthespill prevention, response,containment, and cleanupmeasuresas
outlinedintheplanwillensurethat,duringconstructionandoperationofthemineexpansion,spillsof
fuelorreagentswill becontained, collected, and reintroduced intothe processstreamorsafely
disposedofinaccordancewithallappropriatefederalandstateregulations.Theplanalsoincludes
procedurestobefollowedafteraseismicevent.
StabilityofFacilities:
• Oreandwasterocktobeplaced,respectively,intheheapleachpadandwastedisposalfacilitieswill
havethesamephysicalcharacteristicsastheexistingmaterialinthesefacilities.Theexpansionareas
ofthewasterockdisposalareasandtheheapleachpadwillbedesignedandconstructedtobestable
duringoperationandfollowingprojectclosure.Thesedesignswillbebasedonthestabilitymodeling
resultsfortheexistingfacilities,whicharedescribedintheFinalPlanofOperations,RubyHillProject
(Homestake1996a).Inaddition,thesefacilitieswillbevisuallymonitoredonaregularbasisduring
operationtoidentifyanyvisiblestabilityproblems.
• Geotechnicalinvestigationsofthepitwillcontinuethroughoutoperationstoassistinoptimizingthefinal
pitdesign.Pitstabilityhasbeen,andwillcontinuetobe,monitoredthroughouttheprojectlifetoensure
safeanduninterruptedoperation.Monitoringhasandwillcontinuetoconsistofvisualinspections,
mappingandanalysisofpitgeologicalfeatures,pitwallmonitoring,documentationandinvestigationof
majorfailures. Ifneededduringtheexpansion, additionalcoredrillingforstabilitystudies, orthe
installationofadditionalpermanentsurveystationsordevicestomonitorpitwalls,willbeundertaken.
5
RECORDOFDECISION
Wildlife,SpecialStatusSpecies,andLivestockProtection:
• Thereroutedpowerlinesegmentwillbedesignedandconstructedtominimizeraptorelectrocution
potential.
• Anti-perchingfeatureswillbeusedonnewlyconstructedpowerlinestructurestominimizepredationon
sagegrousebyraptors.
• Duringconstructionandoperationoftheexisting RubyHillProject, Homestakeconstructedrange
fencescompliantwithBLMstandardstoexcludelivestockfromtheprojectarea.Thesefenceswillbe
expanded and maintained during the construction, operation, and reclamation of the proposed
expansion.
• Tominimizebirdandbatmortalityfromopenprocesssolutions,theheapleachpregnant,barren,and
leansolutionsare,andwillcontinuetobe,collectedinpipes.Thetwoexistingprocesssolutiontanks
and process solution overflow ponds currently are netted. The nets will be maintained through
operationandclosureoftheproposedexpansionoruntilnolongerrequired.
• Homestakehasmonitored,andwillcontinuetomonitor,wildlifemortalityontheprojectsiteandto
reportallmortalities.Aspartofthisprocess,thetopoftheheapleachpadcurrentlyis,andwill
continuetobe,monitoreddailyforanysubstantialpoolingofcyanidesolutions.Whennecessary,
appropriatemeasurestoprotectwildlifeandeliminatepoolinghavebeen,andwillcontinuetobe,
implemented.
• Intheeventthatinitiationoftheexpansionprojectshouldoccurduringtheraptornestingseason
(March15throughJuly15),araptorsurvey,including,butnotlimitedto,hawks,eagles,andburrowing
owls,willbeconducted,andappropriatemitigationmeasures,suchasbufferzonesaroundoccupied
nests,willbedevelopedandimplemented,asneeded.
• Toprotectnestingbirds,removalofmigratorybirdhabitatoncurrentlyundisturbedlandsintheproject
areawillbeavoidedtotheextentpossiblebetweenApril15andJuly15.Shouldremovalofhabitatbe
requiredduringthisperiod,HomestakewillcoordinatewiththeBLMandNDOWtoconductbreeding
birdsurveysandimplementappropriatemitigation,suchasbufferzonesaroundoccupiednests,as
needed.
• ExistingbatgatesatBullwhackeropenings1and2protecthabitatforbatsthatmaybedisplacedby
futuremineclosures.Thesewillcontinuetobemaintainedtosecurehabitatforbatsutilizingthe
Bullwhackerandassociatedworkingsandasapublicsafetymeasure.
• Asadditionalprotectionforbathabitat,cupolastructureswillbeconstructedattheopeningsofthe
mainHollyshaft,theremainingWilliamsburgshaft,andoneofthemoststableremainingBullwhacker
shafts.Thesestructureswillsecurehabitatforbatsintheprojectareaandprotectpublicsafety.All
othermineopeningsinthevicinityoftheBullwhacker,SilverWest,Holly,andWilliamsburgmineswill
6