Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 2. Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action
Figure 15 also shows the location of a treated mine water (water reuse) transportation line and
corridor leaving the mine permit area at the southeast corner of Section 10. This 20-inch diameter
pipeline would run along the haul road to the southeast corner of Section 11 then turn north for a
distance of approximately 6 miles where the water would be discharged onto private land. This
water line is a substantial new addition to the plan, not previously proposed in RHR’s October
2009 permit application.
In brief, the water reuse pipeline was proposed by RHR in response to Agency concerns and
comments received upon review of RHR’s October 2009 submittal and during public and Agency
scoping. Concerns were expressed regarding potential adverse impacts of discharge of water upon
the San Mateo Creek drainage. In response, RHR committed to transporting the water to a
location outside of the San Mateo Creek drainage for discharge. This pipeline would be placed
next to the haul road and the utility corridor in Sections 16, 15, 10, and 11. It would then turn
north along the road at the junction with the Section 11 haul road and proceed north through
Section 2 (Forest Service lands) and onto private land, as shown on figure 15. An estimated width
of 20 feet was assumed to be disturbed during the placement of the pipeline over a distance of
28,919 feet (5.48 linear miles), which totals 13.3 acres, 2.5 acres of which would be on National
Forest System lands and 10.8 acres on private land. The pipeline would feed into a new water
storage tank to be used for pasture irrigation. As a contingency during overflow periods, water
may also be discharged into Laguna Polvadera or San Lucas Arroyo.
RHR proposes to conduct mining operations for a period of approximately 18–19 years, including
mine development, operations, and reclamation. The project would start after all required permits
have been obtained, including approval by the Cibola National Forest of the mine plan of
operations. However, the ultimate mine life of the Roca Honda Mine would depend on uranium
market conditions and potential identification of additional uranium ore. Therefore, the ultimate
mine life could well exceed 18–19 years.
The following sections summarize the “Roca Honda Mine Plan of Operations, Revision 1” (plan)
in relation to three phases of proposed mining activities:
• Mine Development includes baseline data gathering, initial site development,
construction, and depressurizing activities which would be conducted to facilitate mine
shaft construction.
• Mine Operation includes activities directly related to production of uranium ore from
the underground mine and transport of the ore offsite for mineral processing.
• Mine Reclamation includes activities intended to reclaim land affected by mine
development and operation, and to return that land to an approved post-mining land use.
Although these activities would generally be performed in sequence, the proposed development,
operations, and reclamation activities would overlap to some extent throughout the mine’s life.
RHR proposes that it would have an archaeologist onsite to monitor all surface disturbance
activities undertaken during mine development, operations, and reclamation. The proposed
activities are further described in the following sections.
34 DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest