Barrick Cortez Refractory Ore Wastes Resource Report
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Wastes, Hazardous or Solid Resource Report for the Barrick Cortez, Inc. – Cortez Refractory Ore Amendment to the Plan of Operations (NVN-067575 [18-1A]) and Reclamation Permit Application Submitted to: United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Battle Mountain District Mount Lewis Field Office 50 Bastian Road Battle Mountain, NV 89820 Prepared by: Tetra Tech, Inc. 4750 West 2100 South, Suite 400 Salt Lake City, UT 84120 April 23, 2018 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment – Cortez Refractory Ore ........................ 1 1.2 Applicant-committed Environmental Protection Measures ...................................... 2 1.2.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Wildlife and Special Status Species ........................................................... 3 1.2.3 Spill Prevention and Emergency Response ............................................... 3 1.2.4 Wastes, Hazardous and Solid Materials .................................................... 3 1.3 No Action Alternative ............................................................................................... 4 1.4 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis .............................. 4 1.5 Cumulative Effects: Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions .. 4 2.0 Affected Environment – Wastes, Hazardous or Solid ...................................................... 7 3.0 Environmental Consequences – Wastes, Hazardous or Solid ......................................... 7 3.1 Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment .............................................................. 8 3.2 No Action Alternative ............................................................................................... 9 3.3 Cumulative Effects .................................................................................................. 9 4.0 References ................................................................................................................. 10 Table 1. Past and Present Actions and RFFAs ........................................................................... 4 Attachment: Figure 1. Project Location and Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions i Barrick Cortez Refractory Ore Amendment - Wastes, Hazardous or Solid 1.0 Introduction This resource report describes the affected environment relative to wastes, and considers the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects due to wastes, hazardous or solid generated during the Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment, which is described in Section 1.1. The analysis area for direct, indirect, and cumulative effects to the environment from wastes includes the ore transportation route. The transportation of ore from Cortez Mine (Cortez) to Goldstrike Mine (Goldstrike) and back haul of ore from Arturo Mine (Arturo) was included in previous National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents, which are incorporated by reference (BLM 2008a, BLM 2008b, BLM 2015). 1.1 Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment – Cortez Refractory Ore The Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment, as described in the Barrick Cortez, Inc. (NVN- 067575 [18-1A]) Amendment to Plan of Operations and Reclamation Permit Application for Temporary Refractory Ore Haulage (SRK 2018), is a minor amendment to the current Cortez Plan of Operations (NVN-067575 [14-1A]) (SRK 2015) to allow the shipment (transport or haul) of an additional 1.2 million tons of refractory ore from the Cortez Hills Open Pit to Goldstrike for processing in an 18-month period, which would begin immediately upon Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval. The Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment would not change mining, stockpiling, sampling, or the ore transportation route; and would not require new ground disturbance. The Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment would modify the transportation plan to allow for additional trucks necessary to haul the additional 1.2 million tons of refractory ore for an 18-month period. Under the current Cortez Plan of Operations, Barrick Cortez, Inc. (BCI) is authorized to haul up to 1.2 million tons of ore each year from stockpiles at Cortez to processing facilities at Goldstrike, and is allowed to back haul 600,000 tons of oxide ore each year from Arturo to Cortez. Currently, the ore is transported via a fleet of over-the-road truck and trailer units, which consist of a Kenworth drive unit pulling a 28-ton primary trailer and a 10-ton auxiliary trailer. Ore may be transported at any time of day. Authorization of the minor amendment would increase the amount of ore authorized for transportation to Goldstrike for an 18-month period. The back- haul of ore from Arturo would not change. The minor amendment would increase the expected number of trucks per hour in each direction to 14, which equates to an additional 113 truck trips per day, resulting in a total of 280 truck trips per day (Matrix Design Group, Inc. 2017). The current ore transportation route would not change (Figure 1). The ore transportation route is located between Cortez and Goldstrike, in portions of Lander, Eureka, and Elko counties. BCI’s trucks are loaded with ore at Cortez and travel north on State Route (SR) 306 through Crescent Valley and Beowawe to Interstate 80 (I-80), then continue east on I-80, over Emigrant Pass, to the East Carlin exit (Exit 282). The trucks then cross over I-80 and re-enter I-80 going westbound from Exit 282 to Exit 280, then proceed north along SR 766 to Goldstrike. After delivery of the ore from Cortez, some of the trucks continue to Arturo to pick up oxide ore for 1 delivery back to Cortez on the return trip. The back-haul follows this route in reverse, entering I- 80 westbound at Exit 280. The current ore stockpiling would not change. The sampling and inventory of ores would not change. The transportation plan would be modified to include the additional 11 trucks needed to haul the additional ore. All other operations within Cortez would continue under the terms of current permits and approvals as authorized by the BLM and the State of Nevada. The Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment would not change the life of operations at Cortez. BCI’s work force would not change. The haul truck contractor would handle any adjustment in work force needed for the increased haulage. 1.2 Applicant-committed Environmental Protection Measures BCI’s applicant-committed environmental protection measures (EPMs) for operations at Cortez are identified in the Cortez Hills Expansion Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) (BLM 2008a, BLM 2011) and FEIS Record of Decision (BLM 2008b). In addition, the BCI (NVN-067575 [14-1A]) Amendment 3 to Plan of Operations and Reclamation Permit Application (APO3) Environmental Assessment (EA) and Record of Decision (BLM 2015) and the Cortez Plan of Operations (SRK 2015), identified EPMs that applied specifically to APO3. These EPMs currently are, and would continue to be, implemented as standard operating procedures to mitigate potential impacts to the environment and human resources in order to prevent unnecessary and undue degradation of public lands. The current EPMs that specifically apply to the Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment are identified below. 1.2.1 Air Quality • Fugitive dust controls, including water application on haul roads and other disturbed areas, chemical dust suppressant application (e.g., magnesium chloride), where appropriate, and application of other Best Management Practices (BMPs) (BCI 2013) as approved by the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) Bureau of Air Pollution Control (BAPC), currently are, and would continue to be, implemented. (Current operating permits include: Class I [Title V] Air Quality Operating Permit [Permit No. AP1041-2141] and Mercury Operating Permit to Construct: Phase 2 [Permit No. AP1041-2220]). • To control combustion emissions, all manufacturer installed pollution control equipment will be operated and maintained in good working order. • Committed air quality practices include dust control for mine unit operations as described by the BAPC-required Surface Area Disturbance Fugitive Dust Control Plan. In general, the Dust Control Plan provides for water application on haul roads and other disturbed areas, chemical dust suppressant application (such as magnesium chloride) where appropriate, and other dust control measures in accordance with accepted and reasonable industry practice. • As part of the Nevada Mercury Control Program, Cortez uses chemical mercury precipitants in the processing circuit to inhibit the adsorption of mercury on the air control’s activated carbon, and remove the mercury from the system before it can be emitted to the atmosphere. 2 1.2.2 Wildlife and Special Status Species • Cortez will continue its mandatory employee education program for all personnel to minimize wildlife/vehicle-related impacts during operations. 1.2.3 Spill Prevention and Emergency Response • The Cortez Emergency Response Plan would continue to be maintained, updated annually, and implemented as needed, throughout the life of the Proposed Plan of Operations Amendment and life of the mine. The Emergency Response Plan describes the system that would be used for the prevention, response, containment, and safe cleanup