Newmont CC&V (https://www.newmont.com/operations-projects/north-america/cripple-creek/ ) has filed an application for Amendment 13 to its mining permit with the State’s Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS).  A separate permit amendment application will be filed with Teller County in late summer of 2020.  This amendment can be summarized as a plan for the extension of the Squaw Valley (Gulch), or VLF2, Leach Pad, within the current mine boundary.  After the current mining of Schist Island Phase I (approved under earlier permitting) is complete, and an area used to store ore is moved to a leach pad, VLF2 will be extended to the north.  Essentially, what people now see as a surface mine and ore storage area (dump), they will instead see a zero discharge Valley Leach Field.

If Amendment 13 is approved, this project will allow the surface mining operations to continue beyond the current projected completion of 2026 to 2028.  CC&V’s announced the public comment period for the amendment in the Pikes Peak Courier on 1/15/2020. DRMS will accept comments on the application through February 25.

CC&V’s goal is to make this complex amendment application document available for public review as efficiently as possible and has placed copies in the Victor, Cripple Creek, and Woodland Park Libraries.  Users can simply ask the librarian to review CC&V’s Amendment 13 documents.  A copy of the permit is also available for review at the Victor City Hall – please contact them for an appointment (https://cityofvictor.com/).  In addition, the State of Colorado has taken the responsibility of making the application available on the DRMS website.  To view the files, the user needs to visit this URL: https://dnrweblink.state.co.us/drms/search.aspx?dbid=0  , then follow these instructions: Click on the dropdown arrow on the top left, then select “Template”.  Next, enter “m1980244” under permit number, and select the date range from December 1, 2019 to January 1, 2020, then click “Search” at the bottom. This will pull up 2 pages of linked documents that were submitted as the Amendment 13 application.

If someone wants to make comments about the application to DRMS, they require that written comments be sent to:

DRMS
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, CO 80203

The DRMS Phone Number is: (303)866-3567

Future community meetings will be scheduled.