[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 40, Volume 29] [Revised as of July 1, 2007] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 40CFR440.103] [Page 425-426] 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. 440.103 Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). 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 available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from mines that produce copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, or molybdenum bearing ores or any combination of these ores from 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 --------------------------- Cu.......................................... 0.30 0.15 Zn.......................................... 1.5 0.75 Pb.......................................... 0.6 0.3 Hg.......................................... 0.002 0.001 Cd.......................................... 0.10 0.05 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (b) The concentration of pollutants discharged from mills that use the froth-flotation process alone, or in conjunction with other processes, for the beneficiation of copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, or molybdenum 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 --------------------------- Cu.......................................... 0.30 0.15 Zn.......................................... 1.0 0.5 Pb.......................................... 0.6 0.3 Hg.......................................... 0.002 0.001 Cd.......................................... 0.10 0.05 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, there shall be no discharge of process wastewater to navigable waters from mine areas and mills processes and areas that use dump, heap, in situ leach or vat-leach processes to extract 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 equal to the difference between annual precipitation falling on the treatment facility and the drainage area contributing surface runoff to the treatment facility [[Page 426]] 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 that use the cyanidation process to extract gold or silver. 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 equal 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. [47 FR 54609, Dec. 3, 1982, as amended at 53 FR 18788, May 24, 1988]