[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 71499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34248]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-067-1990; CA-40204]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) on the Proposed Expansion of an Existing Gold Mining/Processing
Operation
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: Newmont Gold Company (NGC), operator of the Mesquite gold mine
located in Imperial County, California, has proposed to expand mining
operations by a plan modification submitted to the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), El Centro field office, on November 30, 1998.
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969, the BLM will direct the preparation of an environmental impact
statement (EIS) by a third party contractor on the impacts of an
expansion of this gold mining/processing operation. Comments are being
requested to help identify significant issues or concerns related to
the proposed action, to determine the scope of the issues (including
alternatives) that need to be analyzed, and to eliminate from detailed
study those issues that are not significant. Supporting documentation
should be included with comments recommending that the EIS address
specific environmental issues. Public scoping meetings will be held
(see below).
DATES: For scoping meetings and comments: Three public scoping meetings
will be held during 1999 on the following dates and locations: January
26, from 7-10 pm, at the Best Western Yuma Inn Suites, Palm Canyon
Room, 1450 Castle Dome Ave., Yuma, Az. ph (520) 783-8341; January 27,
from 7-10 pm, at the El Centro Community Center, 375 South First
Street, El Centro, Ca. ph (760) 337-4555; and January 28, from 7-10 pm,
at San Diego State University, Aztec Center-Backdoor Room, 5500
Campanile Drive, San Diego, Ca. ph (619) 594-5278. Written comments
must be postmarked no later than Monday, February 8, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Field Manager,
Bureau of Land Management, El Centro Field Office, 1661 South 4th
Street, El Centro, California 92243, ATTN: Geologist.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Marty, Bureau of Land
Management, El Centro Field Office, 1661 South 4th Street, El Centro,
California 92243, (760) 337-4400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Mesquite Mine began operations under an
approved plan of operations during 1985. Since this time, several
expansions and plan modifications have occurred, which are summarized
within the approved Mesquite Mine consolidated plan of operations dated
October, 1995. According to the Code of Federal Regulations found at
Title 43 CFR 3809.1-7, a significant modification of an approved plan
must be reviewed and approved by the authorized officer (i.e., BLM) in
the same manner as the initial plan. Pursuant to Title 43 CFR 3809.1-7,
Newmont has submitted a plan of operations for their proposed mine
expansion for approval by the Bureau of Land Management.
This plan modification is now under review by the BLM and other
Federal, State and local agencies. The public may review this document
at the BLM, El Centro Field Office, 1661 South 4th Street, El Centro,
CA 92243, or at the Imperial County Planning Department, 939 Main
Street, Suite B-1, El Centro, CA 92243.
The expansion would allow the company to continue extracting and
processing economical gold deposits, delineated by drilling programs'
initiated during 1988 and continuing to date. Current ore reserves
would be depleted by the end of year 2000, while expansion would
increase the mine life a projected seven years into year 2006. The plan
modification proposes to process approximately 60 million tons of ore
and 180 million tons of waste rock by the expansion of two existing
pits: the Big Chief and Rainbow open pits. The pit expansions would
encompass approximately 300 acres of Federal, State and private
(patented) land, of which 150 acres would be new land disturbance. The
plan amendment also describes expansion of an existing heap leach
facility on approximately 70 acres of private land to accommodate the
new leach material; alternative methods for storage of waste rock,
either in existing mined-out open pits, at new or expanded out-of-pit
storage areas, or a combination of both; and construction of ancillary
facilities including roads, fencing and drainage diversions.
Dated: December 18, 1998.
Thomas Zale,
Acting Field Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-34248 Filed 12-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-P
