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Site Cleanup Requirements.
Scrap material, refuse, unwanted equipment, and surplus
materials will be removed and disposed at an appropriate landfill site. Any closed waste
management units and/or sewage facilities will be cleaned and all hazards will be remediated in
accordance with applicable rules and regulations. Any seepage collection ponds, storm water
collection ponds, and/or waste ponds will be closed in accordance with applicable Wyoming
rules and regulations. Typical closure will include water testing and drainage (if clean) or
treatment (if contaminated), re-grading and re-contouring, and revegetation. Any unused
chemicals, oil, greases, and solvents will be cleaned up. The fuel station will have a lined area
with gravel which will be removed and remediated for hydrocarbons, if necessary.
Surface Water Management.
Surface water will be controlled and managed around the plant
area and mine facilities by the use of culverts and diversion ditches (see Appendix D). Following
the demolition and dismantling of all facilities and equipment, all unnecessary surface water
management structures will be removed and reclaimed. Grading and revegetation of the site will
occur as soon as is practicable in order to help control surface runoff and erosion of affected
areas and to promote positive drainage from the PUG Plant Site.
Grading and Reclamation.
Following dismantling and demolition, all disturbed and compacted
areas will be regraded for positive drainage, scarified, and revegetated. Fill slopes will be
graded to a maximum of 3H:1V and contoured as necessary. Retaining walls around the
crusher location will be removed and exposed soil/fill slopes re-graded as needed to no steeper
than 3H:1V. Exposed rock cuts will be reclaimed as practical, however, these slopes will be
treated similarly to the pit slopes and are assumed to be stable for the long-term, and layback of
rock slopes may be economically unfeasible or detrimental to the overall site reclamation and
preservation of natural topographic features. All disturbed areas in and around the PUG Plant
Site will be revegetated.
Area Surface Roads.
All roads deemed non-essential for access, maintenance, and other
future uses will be scarified, contoured, and revegetated. In addition, roads that were upgraded
to secondary road standards (80 ft. width) on Forest System Lands will be returned to their
original pre-mining widths. Upgrades to some roads may be suitable for and consistent with
previous land use and access, and therefore will remain after mining operations are complete, if
approved by the Forest Service. Haul roads will be reclaimed.
Surface water will be controlled and managed around roads during operation with culverts and
diversion ditches as necessary (see Appendix D). Following the regrading and revegetation of
surface roads for reclamation, all unnecessary surface water management structures will be
removed and reclaimed. Grading and revegetation of the site will occur as soon as practical in
order to help control surface runoff and erosion of affected areas and to promote positive
drainage.
5.22.6 Schedule and Phases of Reclamation
Mining will span 40 or more years based on the current mine plan. Reclamation and closure are
expected to take place progressively during mining operations as practical. Namely, the Waste
Rock Facility will be re-graded, contoured, and revegetated during operations following the
completion of each Waste Rock Facility lift, refer to Section 5.22.5.2 for additional details. The
WDEQ-LQD will be notified periodically as reclamation and revegetation activities take place on
site in accordance with the annual status report. It is assumed that all closure and reclamation
activities (excluding monitoring) will be completed within one year following the completion of
mining activities. Final closure is expected to commence following the cessation of mining
operations. Monitoring will continue following closure and reclamation until suitable conditions
concerning water quality and revegetation uptake have been reached.
