(The following article was written by Debbie Bell and was published November 25th in the Canon City Daily Record)
Black Range Minerals presents a low risk of aquifer cross contamination with its Tallahassee area uranium exploration, hydrogeologist Bruce Smith said Monday night. That assumption is accurate providing the Australian company continues to utilize current drilling, abandonment and reclamation techniques, Smith said.
His independent oversight shows best management practices generally are in place for the water quality monitoring plan at the Taylor Ranch uranium exploration project, although some improvement is necessary.
"They will not eliminate the risk, but they will present a low risk," Smith told an assembled group of about 40 at the Fremont County Administration Building during a citizens' meeting on the hydrologic impact assessment of the Taylor Ranch Project.
Smith, with Western Water & Land, Inc., said two separate baseline studies are under way. The first, required by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, is for surface and groundwater and includes nine surface monitoring sites. Quarterly flow and water quality checks will include a comprehensive analytical suite of 67 inorganic and radiological parameters, and 137 volatile or semi-volatile organic compounds.
The second study was the result of public concern during the county's conditional use permit process and tests domestic wells using 52 different lab parameters. A total of 42 domestic wells already have been sampled by Whetstone Associates, the Black Range Minerals hydrogeology consultant. Results from those tests will be available in the next four to five weeks.
In addition, data will be studied from 92 existing monitoring wells that were drilled about 30 years ago during the Hansen Project, a nearby uranium exploration project by Cyprus Mines Corp.
Smith said the Hansen data was "very relevant" although it is decades old, a stance backed up by Susan Wyman of Whetstone. "Geology does not change quickly," Wyman said. "There has not been a significant amount of pumping to change data from 30 years ago to data of today."
Smith said a 30-year period is "the blink of an eye in geologic measure."
Tallahassee residents openly questioned whether the baseline tests were valid, because BRM started exploration drilling in April 2007. They argued cross contamination already could have happened, invalidating the baseline results.
In short, Smith said, the readings are legitimate. Combining known variables with certain basic assumptions, he determined any contamination would take anywhere between seven and 144 years to taint the nearest domestic well.
"This is one cross-contamination scenario, assuming that it does happen," Smith said.
Some members of the audience argued with Smith, who remained calm and said he would be available "all night long" to answer questions if necessary. At 10 p.m., three and a half hours after the meeting began, he still was speaking with individuals.
"I know some of you have very strong positions one way or another about the exploration program," Smith said. "It is my job not to."
WWL was brought on board in August as a condition of the permit that allowed Black Range to continue exploration. Although hired by and working for the county, BRM is paying the bill for the independent consultant.
"We have opened a direct line of communications with Black Range Minerals and their hydrologic consultant, Whetstone Associates," Smith said.
Smith will continue his work with additional field inspections, follow-up with Black Range, evaluation of new data, and making new recommendations as needed. He also will schedule additional citizens' meetings as necessary.
His independent oversight shows best management practices generally are in place for the water quality monitoring plan at the Taylor Ranch uranium exploration project, although some improvement is necessary.
"They will not eliminate the risk, but they will present a low risk," Smith told an assembled group of about 40 at the Fremont County Administration Building during a citizens' meeting on the hydrologic impact assessment of the Taylor Ranch Project.
Smith, with Western Water & Land, Inc., said two separate baseline studies are under way. The first, required by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, is for surface and groundwater and includes nine surface monitoring sites. Quarterly flow and water quality checks will include a comprehensive analytical suite of 67 inorganic and radiological parameters, and 137 volatile or semi-volatile organic compounds.
The second study was the result of public concern during the county's conditional use permit process and tests domestic wells using 52 different lab parameters. A total of 42 domestic wells already have been sampled by Whetstone Associates, the Black Range Minerals hydrogeology consultant. Results from those tests will be available in the next four to five weeks.
In addition, data will be studied from 92 existing monitoring wells that were drilled about 30 years ago during the Hansen Project, a nearby uranium exploration project by Cyprus Mines Corp.
Smith said the Hansen data was "very relevant" although it is decades old, a stance backed up by Susan Wyman of Whetstone. "Geology does not change quickly," Wyman said. "There has not been a significant amount of pumping to change data from 30 years ago to data of today."
Smith said a 30-year period is "the blink of an eye in geologic measure."
Tallahassee residents openly questioned whether the baseline tests were valid, because BRM started exploration drilling in April 2007. They argued cross contamination already could have happened, invalidating the baseline results.
In short, Smith said, the readings are legitimate. Combining known variables with certain basic assumptions, he determined any contamination would take anywhere between seven and 144 years to taint the nearest domestic well.
"This is one cross-contamination scenario, assuming that it does happen," Smith said.
Some members of the audience argued with Smith, who remained calm and said he would be available "all night long" to answer questions if necessary. At 10 p.m., three and a half hours after the meeting began, he still was speaking with individuals.
"I know some of you have very strong positions one way or another about the exploration program," Smith said. "It is my job not to."
WWL was brought on board in August as a condition of the permit that allowed Black Range to continue exploration. Although hired by and working for the county, BRM is paying the bill for the independent consultant.
"We have opened a direct line of communications with Black Range Minerals and their hydrologic consultant, Whetstone Associates," Smith said.
Smith will continue his work with additional field inspections, follow-up with Black Range, evaluation of new data, and making new recommendations as needed. He also will schedule additional citizens' meetings as necessary.