Operations at the North slag pile will be suspended due to the large encountering waste material that cannot be processed nor can it be landfilled without halting operations of the processing plants that are built on-site. The material is a soft, moist material that readily absorbs water. OSC Byrd concludes that it will be most beneficial to continue processing waste streams that the plant is equipped to handle. Return to excavation of the North pile will resume at a later date. Meanwhile, it will be contoured to allow run-off to be gathered on-site before discharging into Black Creek. If necessary, the pile will be covered with remnants of processed ore that are currently on-site in order to reduce the amount og water that may seep into the pile.
Operations will move primarily to the South pile on October 5, 2011. Also, Harsco is constructing a on-site processing center to further refine the grade "C" fines in attempts to produce a saleable product, thereby reducing the amount of waste left on-site. EPA and ERRS will monitor the amount and types of wastes generated by this process, if any.
Slag screening, reclamation and leachate reduction operations will continue.
Additional sources for recycling of A, B and C fines continues to be sought.
To date slag pile totals:
non ferrous and ferrous metal for July, 18,522,756 lbs
Recycled non ferrous and ferrous for slag piles 279,371,635 lb
Materials awaiting shipment off-site, A-60 tons, B-2000 tons, C-400,000 tons
To date 60% of North pile has been processed
To date 19% of South pile has been processed
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