[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 27]
[Revised as ofJuly 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR440.102]

[Page 427-429]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
         CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 440--ORE MINING AND DRESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY--Table of Contents
 
    Subpart J--Copper, Lead, Zinc, Gold, Silver, and Molybdenum Ores 
                               Subcategory
 
Sec. 440.102  Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology (BPT).

    Except as provided in subpart L of this part and 40 CFR 125.30 
through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must 
achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of 
effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable 
control technology currently available (BPT):
    (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from 
mines operated to obtain copper bearing ores, lead bearing ores, zinc 
bearing ores, gold bearing ores, or silver bearing ores, or any 
combination of these

[[Page 428]]

ores open-pit or underground operations other than placer deposits shall 
not exceed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Effluent limitations
                                             ---------------------------
                                                             Average of
           Effluent characteristic                          daily values
                                               Maximum for     for 30
                                                any 1 day    consecutive
                                                                days
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Milligrams per liter
                                             ---------------
TSS.........................................        30            20
Cu..........................................          .30           .15
Zn..........................................         1.5            .75
Pb..........................................          .6            .3
Hg..........................................          .002          .001
pH..........................................     (\1\)         (\1\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Within the range 6.0 to 9.0.

    (b) The concentration of pollutants discharged from mills which 
employ the froth flotation process alone or in conjunction with other 
processes, for the beneficiation of copper ores, lead ores, zinc ores, 
gold ores, or silver ores, or any combination of these ores shall not 
exceed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Effluent limitations
                                             ---------------------------
                                                             Average of
           Effluent characteristic                          daily values
                                               Maximum for     for 30
                                                any 1 day    consecutive
                                                                days
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Milligrams per liter
                                             ---------------
TSS.........................................        30            20
Cu..........................................          .30           .15
Zn..........................................         1.0            .5
Pb..........................................          .6            .3
Hg..........................................          .002          .001
Cd..........................................          .10           .05
pH..........................................     (\1\)         (\1\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Within the range 6.0 to 9.0.

    (c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, there 
shall be no discharge of process wastewater to navigable water from 
mines and mills which employ dump, heap, in situ leach or vat leach 
processes for the extraction of copper from ores or ore waste materials. 
The Agency recognizes that the elimination of the discharge of 
pollutants to navigable waters may result in an increase in discharges 
of some pollutants to other media. The Agency has considered these 
impacts and has addressed them in the preamble published on December 3, 
1982.
    (2) In the event that the annual precipitation falling on the 
treatment facility and the drainage area contributing surface runoff to 
the treatment facility exceeds the annual evaporation, a volume of water 
equivalent to the difference between annual precipitation falling on the 
treatment facility and the drainage area contributing surface runoff to 
the treatment facility and annual evaporation may be discharged subject 
to the limitations set forth in paragraph (a) of this section.
    (d)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, there 
shall be no discharge of process wastewater to navigable waters from 
mills which extract gold or silver by use of the cyanidation process. 
The Agency recognizes that the elimination of the discharge of 
pollutants to navigable waters may result in an increase in discharges 
of some pollutants to other media. The Agency has considered these 
impacts and has addressed them in the preamble published on December 3, 
1982.
    (2) In the event that the annual precipitation falling on the 
treatment facility and the drainage area contributing surface runoff to 
the treatment facility exceeds the annual evaporation, a volume of water 
equivalent to the difference between annual precipitation falling on the 
treatment facility and the drainage area contributing surface runoff to 
the treatment facility and annual evaporation may be discharged subject 
to the limitations set forth in paragraph (a) of this section.
    (e) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from 
mines producing 5,000 metric tons (5,512 short tons) or more of 
molybdenum bearing ores per year shall not exceed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Effluent limitations
                                             ---------------------------
                                                             Average of
           Effluent characteristic                          daily values
                                               Maximum for     for 30
                                                any 1 day    consecutive
                                                                days
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Milligrams per liter
                                             ---------------
TSS.........................................         30            20
Cd..........................................           .10           .05
Cu..........................................           .3            .15
Zn..........................................          1.0            .5
Pb..........................................           .6            .3
As..........................................          1.0            .5
pH..........................................     (\1\)          (\1\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Within the range of 6.0 to 9.0

    (f) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from 
mines producing less than 5,000 metric tons (5,512 short tons) or 
discharged from mills processing less than 5,000

[[Page 429]]

metric tons (5,512 short tons) of molybdenum ores per year by methods 
other than ore leaching shall not exceed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Effluent limitations
                                               -------------------------
                                                              Average of
                                                                daily
            Effluent characteristic             Maximum for   values for
                                                 any 1 day        30
                                                             consecutive
                                                                 days
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Milligrams per liter
                                               --------------
TSS...........................................           50           30
pH............................................       (\1\)         (\1\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Within the range 6.0 to 9.0.

    (g) The concentration of pollutants discharged from mills processing 
5,000 metric tons (5,512 short tons) or more of molybdenum ores per year 
by purely physical methods including ore crushing, washing, jigging, 
heavy media separation shall not exceed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Effluent limitations
                                             ---------------------------
                                                             Average of
           Effluent characteristic                           daily value
                                               Maximum for     for 30
                                                any 1 day    consecutive
                                                                days
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Milligrams per liter
                                             ---------------
TSS.........................................         30            20
Cd..........................................           .10           .05
Cu..........................................           .30           .15
Zn..........................................          1.0            .5
As..........................................          1.0            .5
pH..........................................     (\1\)          (\1\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Within the range 6.0 to 9.0

    (h) The concentration of pollutants discharged from mills processing 
5,000 metric tons (5,512 short tons) or more of molybdenum ores per year 
by froth flotation methods shall not exceed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Effluent limitations
                                             ---------------------------
                                                             Average of
          Effluent characteristics                          daily values
                                               Maximum for     for 30
                                                any 1 day    consecutive
                                                                days
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Milligrams per liter
                                             ---------------
TSS.........................................         30            20
Cd..........................................           .10           .05
Cu..........................................           .30           .15
Zn..........................................          1.0            .5
As..........................................          1.0            .5
pH..........................................      (\1\)         (\1\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Within the range 6.0 to 9.0.


[47 FR 54609, Dec. 3, 1982, as amended at 53 FR 18788, May 24, 1988]