Wyoming Administrative Code › Agency 020 - Environmental Quality, Dept. of › Sub-Agency 0007 - Land Quality - Non Coal › Chapter 11 - IN SITU MINING › Section 11-5 - Application Content Requirements - Mine (Operations) Plan

Current through July 13, 2024
(a) All
				applications for a mine permit and amendments must include, at a minimum, the
				information and materials related to mine plans required in: W.S. §§
									35-11-428
				and 35-11429, Chapter 2, Section
				1, and Chapter 3, Section
				2
				(excepting Subsections (b)(ii) and (iii), (c)(iv), and (h) and, with respect to
				subsection (k)(i), as modified in Section
				6(a)(iv) of this Chapter)
				and:
(i) Contour (topographic) map(s) which
				accurately locate and identify the permit area and show the location of any
				public highways, dwellings, utilities and easements within the permit area and
				adjacent lands in relation to all proposed affected lands and proposed
				activities associated with the operation including, but not limited to: plant
				site, chemical storage areas, wellfield areas, roads, temporary and permanent
				drainage diversions, impoundments, stockpiles for topsoil, ore product and
				waste, and all processing facilities. The map(s) shall also clearly illustrate
				the location of monitoring wells required by Section
				16 of this Chapter.
(ii) Discussion and illustration of the
				proposed mining schedule, including:
(A) A
				list of the proposed wellfields;
(B) Map(s) showing the proposed sequence for
				mining of the wellfields;
(C) A
				proposed time schedule for mining each wellfield; and
(D) The capacity of the water/waste water
				treatment systems and correlation of the capacity with the mining and
				restoration schedules.
(iii) The procedure(s) used to protect the
				topsoil and subsoil, as required in Chapter 3, Section
				2(c)(i) through
				(iii), from excessive compaction,
				degradation, and wind and water erosion where stockpiling of topsoil and
				subsoil is necessary. The Administrator may authorize topsoil to remain on
				areas where minor disturbance will occur associated with construction and
				installation activities including but not limited to light-use roads, signs,
				wellfields, utility lines, fences, monitoring stations, and drilling provided
				that the minor disturbance will not destroy the protective vegetative cover,
				increase erosion, nor adversely affect the soil resource.
(iv) A description of and dimensions for all
				proposed impoundments, as defined by the State Engineer's Office. A leak
				detection plan may be required for impoundments that are not regulated by the
				Nuclear Regulatory Commission. For impoundments holding toxic or acid forming
				material, contingency plans to control unanticipated leakage shall be
				provided.
(v) A description of all
				temporary and permanent surface water diversions in accordance with the
				requirements of Chapter 3, Section
				2(e) and
				(f).
(vi) The composition of all known and
				anticipated wastes and procedures for their disposal.
(vii) Procedures for ensuring that all
				acid-forming, or toxic, or other materials constituting a fire or health and
				safety hazard encountered during or created by the mining process are promptly
				treated, confined, or disposed of in a manner designed to prevent pollution of
				surface water or groundwater, degradation of soils, or vegetation, or threat to
				human or animal health and safety.
(viii) A description of the mitigating
				measures developed from the consultations with the Wyoming Game and Fish
				Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as required per Chapter 2,
				Section
				1(f).
(ix) A description of the location within the
				permit area where underground injection is planned.
(x) A description of the proposed method of
				operation, including:
(A) Injection rate, with
				the average and maximum daily rate and the volume of fluid to be
				injected;
(B) Injection pressures,
				with average and maximum injection pressures, as required by Section
				8 of this Chapter;
(C) Proposed stimulation program;
(D) Type of injection/recovery fluid to be
				used;
(E) Proposed injection
				procedure; and
(F) Expected changes
				in pressure, native groundwater displacement and direction of movement of
				injection fluid.
(xi) The
				following information concerning the production zone shall be determined or
				calculated and submitted for new Class III wells or projects:
(A) Where the production zone is in a
				receiving strata which is naturally water-bearing:
(I) Fluid pressure;
(II) Fracture pressure; and
(III) Physical and chemical characteristics
				of the receiving strata fluids.
(B) Where the receiving strata is not a
				water-bearing formation, the fracture pressure in the production
				zone.
(xii) The
				procedure(s) to assure that the installation of recovery, injection, and
				monitor wells will not result in hydraulic communication between the production
				zone and overlying or underlying stratigraphic horizons.
(xiii) The procedures utilized to verify that
				the injection and recovery wells are in communication with monitor wells
				completed in the receiving strata and employed for the purpose of detecting
				excursions.
(xiv) Descriptions of:
(A) The completion details for all monitor
				wells; and
(B) A detailed
				description of the typical proposed well completion for monitoring, injection
				and recovery wells, as required by Section
				8 of this Chapter.
(xv) Details of a monitoring program and
				reporting schedule as required by Sections
				15 and
				16 of this Chapter.
(xvi) A schedule for and description of the
				procedures to demonstrate and maintain mechanical integrity of all monitoring,
				recovery, and Class III injection wells as required by Section
				9 of this Chapter. Monitor wells need only
				be tested upon completion.
(xvii) A
				corrective action plan, for any wells which are improperly sealed, completed,
				or abandoned, consisting of such steps or modifications as are necessary to
				prevent movement of fluid into unauthorized zones as required by Section
				20 of this Chapter.
(xviii) A description of chemical reactions
				that may occur during mining as a result of recovery fluid injection.
(xix) A subsidence analysis, using
				established geotechnical principles, which estimates, based upon the proposed
				mining operation, the effect of subsidence upon the land surface and overlying
				groundwater aquifers. Subsidence shall be planned and controlled to the extent
				that the values and uses of the surface land resources and the groundwater
				aquifers will not be degraded.
(xx)
				A description of measures employed to prevent an excursion, and contingency and
				corrective action plans to be implemented in the event of an excursion, in
				accordance with Sections
				19 and
				20 of this Chapter.
(xxi) An assessment of impacts that may
				reasonably be expected as a result of the mining operation to water resources
				and water rights inside the permit area and on adjacent lands, and the steps
				that will be taken to mitigate these impacts.
(xxii) A maintenance plan to ensure:
(A) Wells are sufficiently covered to protect
				against entrance of undesirable material into the well;
(B) The wells are marked and can be clearly
				seen;
(C) The area surrounding each
				well is kept clear of brush or debris;
(D) Monitoring equipment is appropriately
				serviced and maintained so the monitoring requirements in Section
				16(a)(i) of this Chapter
				can be met; and
(E) Effective spill
				response and reporting.