### From: Rob Bamford 

### [mailto:rbamford@ndep.nv.gov]

Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 5:58 PM

To: Branscome, Marvin R.; 

### French.Chuck@epamail.epa.gov

Cc: Patrick Anderson

Subject: Clarification on Cortez test



### Hello Marvin and Chuck,

I just spoke with Brent Downey, the permit/environmental representative out at Barrick, Cortez

Pipeline. During their 2009 test they did not use the new retorts, they used t he grieve oven to dry

precip. They did use the new carbon controls attached to the furnace. Apparently the “holdup” on not

using the new retorts is getting those new units added to their Title 5 permit as those are new units for

the facility, not just t he addition of controls to existing units.

I would provide the following additional info for consideration. Here is the furnace material mercury

concentration for Cortez and Round Mtn. and industry:

Cortez Furnace Material



## MercuryTestData Query12

FIN U nit Type Material Concentration (ppm) Date #1

A0001 Melt Furnace 07/26/2000

A0001 Melt Furnace 03/22/2006

A0001 Melt Furnace 03/22/2006

A0001 Melt Furnace 4250 10/22/2008

A0001 Melt Furnace 4480 06/19/2007

A0001 Melt Furnace 4480 06/19/2007

A0001 Melt Furnace 8 10/14/2009

A0001 Melt Furnace 1557 12/21/2009

A0001 Melt Furnace 551 12/15/2009

Round Mtn Furnace Material



## MercuryTestData Query12

FIN Unit Type Material Concentration (ppm) Date #1

A0394 Melt Furnace 17 06/25/2007

A0394 Melt Furnace 0.0813 11/10/2008

A0394 Melt Furnace 166.7 08/31/2009

Industry Furnace Material

### Range of Material Concentrations

(ppm)

Facility Material

Concentration

(ppm) Date

Florida Canyon 0.02 7/8/2008

Twin Creeks 0.03 7/28/2008

Twin Creeks 0.03 7/31/2008

G old Quarry 0.03 9/16/2008

Twin Creeks 0.03 11/12/2009

Florida Canyon 0.05 7/10/2007

Round Mountain 0.08 11/10/2008

Gold Quarry 0.44 10/22/2007

Coeur Rochester 0.80 12/6/2007

Midas 2.90 7/17/2008

Coeur Rochester 3.90 10/2/2009

Ruby Hill 4.60 5/9/200 7

Ruby Hill 4.60 5/9/2007

Midas 5.00 7/16/2008

Twin Creeks 5.12 11/11/2009

Cortez Pipeline 8.00 10/14/2009

Twin Creeks 8.20 6/9/2007

Twin Creeks 8.20 6/9/2007

Bald Mountain 10.00 8/12/2009

Gold Quarry 17.45 10/12/2006

Gold Quarry 17.45 10/12/2006

Ruby Hill 21.00 7/22/2009

Goldstrike 22.50 7/19/2007

Midas 46.80 11/14/2007

Twin Creeks 53.88 10/11/2005

Twin Creeks 89.30 6/8/2007

Twin Creeks 89.30 6/8/2007

Midas 126.00 10/7/2009

Midas 177.00 10/8/2009

Florida Canyon 233.00 6/9/2009

Hycroft/Le wis Project 334.00 9/9/2009

Goldstrike 364.40 7/21/2009

Bald Mountain 437.00 8/27/2008

Coeur Rochester 495.00 12/5/2007

Bald Mountain 520.00 10/24/2007 

### Furnace Material Concentration Statistics

(ppm)

Sample Size 35

Minimum 0.02

Maximum 520.00

Average 88.75

Median 8.20



### Range of Mercury Concentrations

(ppm)

Industry Retort Material

### Material Concentrate (ppm mercury) Statistics (ppm)

Retorts

Sample Size 35



### Minimum 0.03



### Maximum 355,333.00



### Average 57,893.17



### Median 22,100.00



### - Rob

Rob Bamford

Supervisor, Nevada Mercury Control Program

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Air Qual ity Planning

Phone: 775

- 687

- 9330

Cell: 775

- 315

- 3655

Fax: 775

- 687

- 6396

E

- mail: rbamford@ndep.nv.gov