The Easy Junior mine is located within the boundaries of the Sacramento District of the Corps of Engineers, and the project is being executed by a virtual team including Sacramento, Albuquerque, and Omaha Districts. The federal partner with the Corps for this project is the Bureau of Land Management. In June 2001, the Nevada Interagency Abandoned Mine Lands Environmental Task Force (NIAMLETF) proposed to the Western Region RAMS center a list of Abandoned Mine Land (AML) projects scattered across the State of Nevada. One of the projects identified in this proposal included the Easy Junior mine site.
This project is located within the boundaries of Sacramento District. The Easy Junior Mine site is located on public lands administered by the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - Ely, Nevada, Field Office. The site is located approximately 45 miles west of Ely, Nevada and 15 miles south of U.S. Highway 50 in the foothills of what is considered to be a portion of the Pancake Range. Average elevation of the site is 6,500 feet above sea level. Permitted site facilities included an open pit, two heap leach pads of approximately 45 acres, a barren solution pond, a settling pond, an overflow pond, a pregnant solution sump, and carbon adsorption columns. A single pit was mined with waste being hauled to the waste dumps. Ore was transported to the leach pad area and either stacked as run-of-mine ore or crushed and conveyed to the pad. A significant amount of work remains before satisfying the reclamation requirements at the Easy Junior Mine site as Alta Gold discontinued reclamation activities after filing bankruptcy.
Project Description
A site characterization study was conducted to:
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evaluate the quality of water discharging from the head leach pad,
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determine the extent of sulfide oxidation within the waste rock dumps and evaluate soil conditions that are inhibiting vegetative reclamation on the waste rock dumps,
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characterize the sludge in the ponds and sump bottom,
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identify borrow soils that can be used in reclamation of the site, and
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determine closure requirements for the site.
Starting in the summer of 2004, construction will begin to close the site in accordance with the requirements stated in the Final Investigation Report and the Final Total Mine Reclamation Cost Estimate Report that can be viewed from the Existing Documents section below.
Project Goals
The primary goal for this site is to recontour and reclaim the existing leach pad. Additionally, an estimate of remaining reclamation costs was prepared to assist the BLM in prioritizing reclamation activities that can be funded with available bond money.
Additional funding for Nevada RAMS was received for Fiscal Year 2004. These funds will be used to prepare an Environmental Assessment and Plans and Specifications for the Closure requirements described in the Final Investigation Report and the Final Total Mine Reclamation Cost Estimate Report that can be viewed from the Existing Documents section below. BLM's available bond funds will be used for construction at this site under the Corps' Support For Others Program (see Program Authorities link).
Current Status
Field work for characterizing the site was completed in November 2002. Analytical work for a modified scope of work has also been completed. The Final Total Reclamation Cost Estimate Report and the Draft Investigation Report were completed in August 2003. All comments on the investigation report were received in September 2003. The Final Investigation Report will be issued in September 2003.
The Environmental Assessment and Conceptual Design have been completed, and the 60% Design is in preparation. The delivery order for Construction is currently in the negotiation phase and will be awarded in early August 2004. Construction started August 16, 2004.
Significant Milestones
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November 2002 – Field Work completed
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February 2003 – Additional analysis of soil borrow areas, process pond sludge and waste rock dump hot spot pH performed
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March 2003 – Analytical results received
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June 2003 -- Draft Total Reclamation Cost Estimate Report available for review and comment
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August 2003 -- Final Total Reclamation Cost Estimate Report completed
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August 2003 -- Draft Investigation Report available for review and comment
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October 2003 -- Final Investigation Report completed
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April 2004 -- Delivery Order awarded for Environmental Assessment and Conceptual Design for Site Closure
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May 2004 -- Draft Environmental Assessment available for public review and comment
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June 2004 -- Draft Conceptual Design for Site Closure completed
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June 2004 -- Public Comment Period ends and Final Environmental Assessment completed
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July 2004 -- Delivery Order awarded for 60% Design of Site Closure
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August 2004 -- 60% Design of Site Closure prepared, reviewed, and revised
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August 2004 -- Delivery Order awarded for Construction of Site Closure
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August 2004 -- Construction of Site Closure measures starts
Existing Documents
As documents for this project become available, they will be provided in PDF format that can be accessed by clicking on the title of the document below. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these documents and may be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe Acrobat web site by clicking on Adobe Acrobat Reader above. Disclaimer: The appearance of an external hyperlink does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) of this web site or the information, products, or services contained therein. USACE does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at this location.
Documents
1. Appendix A
2. Appendix B
3. Appendix C
4. Appendix D
5. Appendix E
6. Drawing 0
7. Drawing 1
8. Drawing 2
9. Drawing 3
10. Drawing 4a
11. Drawing 4b
12. Drawing 5
13. Drawing 6
14. Drawing 7a
15. Drawing 7b
16. Drawing 8
17. Drawing 9
18. Drawing 10a
19. Drawing 10b
20. Drawing 11
21. Drawing 12
22. Drawing 13a
23. Drawing 13b
24. Drawing 14
25. Drawing 15
26. Drawing 16
27. Drawing 17
28. Drawing 18
29. Drawing 19
30. Drawing 20
31. Drawing 21
32. Drawing 22
33. Drawing 23
34. Drawing 24
35. Final Investigation Report
36. Final Cost Report
37. Work Plan
38. Final Assessment
39. Final Work Plan