Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................... 1
2.0 Facility Location and Access ............................................................................................................... 2
2.1 Land Ownership and Legal Description .......................................................................................... 2
2.2 Climate and Air Quality.................................................................................................................... 2
2.3 Land Disturbance ............................................................................................................................ 2
2.4 Access ............................................................................................................................................. 2
3.0 Hydromet plant Process Description ................................................................................................... 4
4.0 Buildings and Structures...................................................................................................................... 5
4.1 Security Office, FireFighting, and First Aid...................................................................................... 5
4.2 Main Hydromet Building .................................................................................................................. 5
4.3 Pre-concentrate Handling................................................................................................................ 5
4.4 Acid Handling .................................................................................................................................. 6
5.0 Utilities ................................................................................................................................................. 7
5.1 Power............................................................................................................................................... 7
5.2 Water ............................................................................................................................................... 7
5.3 Natural Gas...................................................................................................................................... 7
5.4 Communications.............................................................................................................................. 7
5.5 Control and Automation................................................................................................................... 7
5.6 Compressed Air ............................................................................................................................... 8
6.0 Tailings Storage Facility ...................................................................................................................... 9
6.1 Tailings Storage Facility Design ...................................................................................................... 9
6.2 Geotechnical Analyses .................................................................................................................... 9
6.3 Tailings Operation ........................................................................................................................... 9
6.4 Construction................................................................................................................................... 10
7.0 Baseline Environmental Surveys....................................................................................................... 11
7.1 Air Quality ...................................................................................................................................... 11
7.2 Groundwater .................................................................................................................................. 11
7.3 Surface Water................................................................................................................................ 13
7.4 Background Radiological............................................................................................................... 13
7.5 Health and Safety .......................................................................................................................... 14
7.6 Tailings Characterization ............................................................................................................... 14
7.7 Invasive Non-Native Species......................................................................................................... 14
7.8 Wetlands........................................................................................................................................ 14
7.9 T&E and Special Status Plant Species ......................................................................................... 15
7.10 Vegetation ................................................................................................................................... 15
7.11 Soils............................................................................................................................................. 16
7.12 Fish and Wildlife .......................................................................................................................... 16
7.12.1 Big Game.............................................................................................................................. 16
7.12.2 Upland Game Birds .............................................................................................................. 16
7.12.3 Other Mammals.................................................................................................................... 17
7.12.4 Raptors ................................................................................................................................. 17
7.12.5 Other Migratory and Breeding Birds..................................................................................... 17
7.13 Animal Species of Concern ......................................................................................................... 18
7.14 Cultural ........................................................................................................................................ 18
8.0 Reclamation and Closure .................................................................................................................. 19
8.1 Description..................................................................................................................................... 19
8.2 Schedule........................................................................................................................................ 19
8.3 General Closure Methods.............................................................................................................. 19
8.3.1 Backfill .................................................................................................................................... 19
8.3.2 Rough Grade Backfill.............................................................................................................. 20
8.3.3 Fine Grade Backfill ................................................................................................................. 20
8.3.4 Native Topsoil Removal.......................................................................................................... 20
8.3.5 Native Overburden Removal .................................................................................................. 20
8.3.6 Overburden Redistribution...................................................................................................... 20
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