Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 2. Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action
water would then be pumped to the surface and delivered to the water treatment plant. The water
would be pumped into the reaction tank(s) where barium chloride would be added and any
necessary pH adjustment would be made.
Radium would be precipitated and the solution would be pumped to the pressure leaf filters to
separate solids from the water. The solids would proceed to the filter press to remove the
remaining water. The solids would be bagged for offsite disposal. The filtrate from the leaf filters
would then flow to the ion exchange columns, where a selective resin would remove and bind the
uranium. The water from the ion exchange columns would be adjusted for pH and sent to the
treated water holding ponds and for subsequent discharge in compliance with Federal and State
requirements. The resins would be regenerated offsite. The plant is not only designed with some
redundant treatment units but it would have piping flexibility to bypass units if they are not
needed. The water treatment design package contains a monitoring plan with instrumentation
readouts at a logic control panel.
Pipeline
RHR proposes to construct a 20-inch diameter pipeline approximately 5.5 miles in length to
transport water produced from the mine offsite (figure 16). The pipeline would be laid on the
ground surface so that no trenching or excavation would be required. Almost the entire length
would be across private land; a very small portion of Cibola National Forest land would be
crossed as well. The proposed destination of the water would be a water storage tank on private
ranchland whose owner intends to use this treated water to irrigate range or pastureland for
livestock. As a contingency, Laguna Polvadera and San Lucas Arroyo would be utilized for
overflow.
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 and unplatted lands, as shown on figure 16. 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.
Mine Shafts
RHR proposes to mine ore that is located at approximately 1,650 to 2,650 feet below the ground
surface. Two production shafts are proposed to access that ore and to provide a means to move
workers, equipment, and rock into and out of the mine. A shaft is a vertical tunnel that extends
from the surface into the underground mine. Under the proposed action, RHR proposes to
construct two production shafts, one located in the northeast quarter of Section 16, and one
located in the southeast quarter of Section 10. The production shafts are proposed to be 18 feet in
diameter. Development of the Section 16 shaft would occur first, followed by development of the
Section 10 shaft. Roca Honda estimates that the Section 16 shaft would be in production
approximately 3.6 years after all permits are approved and the Section 10 shaft would be
constructed thereafter and in production approximately 8.6 years after all permits are approved.
Mine ventilation is a critical aspect of underground mining. Air must be pumped through the
underground mine to provide sufficient fresh air to workers, and to vent or exhaust air from the
mine to prevent buildup of contaminants, including radon gas, carbon monoxide, and diesel
DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest 41