Precious Metals Recovery LLC RCRA Permit Application Dry Hills ...

days, the NDEP Administrator will be informed in writing and provided with a copy of the
manifest.
After the initial inspection and manifest confirmation, a forklift will transport the pallets from the
truck to a designated receiving area. Once inside, the containers and pallets will undergo a more
thorough inspection for leaks, cracks, dents, beading, corrosion, and seal integrity. Mercury
vapor levels will be monitored in the receiving area while these actions are being performed.
In the unlikely event mercury vapor is discovered above the threshold (i.e., OSHA limit), or a
container is found to be compromised:
For containers holding elemental mercury, the damaged container will be placed in a
custom designed drum specifically designated for this purpose (see Section 22).
For containers holding spent activated carbon, the contents of the damaged drum will be
emptied into a designated clean drum and transported to the retort area to be retorted.
The empty damaged drum will also be retorted.
For containers holding calomel, the calomel slurry will typically be contained within
secondary containment (e.g., overpacks, spill trays, or other appropriate containment).
Calomel will then be pumped into a clean drum. At the automated feed preparation
station, the calomel (in the clean drum) will be suctioned out and will enter the treatment
process. Both the breached drum and secondary containment vessel will be triple rinsed
at the calomel feed preparation area.
As part of the receiving process, a portion of the received material arriving at site will be
fingerprinted before processing and storage. Fingerprinting will consist of random sampling and
testing of the material (see Section 9). Test criteria will be dependent on the material being
received, but may include some or all of the following: a physical description, elemental mercury
purity, specific gravity, and pH. Testing of samples will be performed in a laboratory room
within the proposed TSF’s process area.
Pigs will be removed from their skids and transported by forklift to the storage area. Section 22
of this document and the General Arrangement Drawings (provided in Appendix 1-A) present
details on elemental mercury storage.
Small quantities of elemental mercury may also be received at the proposed TSF in 76-pound
flasks. These flasks will be staged at a dedicated elemental mercury transfer station where their
contents will be emptied into pigs. (The mercury storage area is designed to store pigs.) The
transfer station will be located in the process area, and will be equipped with spill containment
and ventilation to prevent mercury or mercury vapors from escaping. A sketch of the elemental
mercury transfer station is shown in Figure 1.2-1.
PMR RCRA Permit Application, Dry Hills Facility Page 16
JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc. | HATCH March 2013