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Kennecott Utah Copper LLC Projects
Kennecott's Expansion Project (Cornerstone)
Introduction
In 2011 Kennecott Utah Copper LLC announced a proposal to expand the life of its Bingham Canyon Mine located in the southwest Salt Lake County. The expansion project, called "Cornerstone," included widening the Bingham Canyon pit to accommodate operations focused on the mining and processing of ore located on the southeast margin of the pit. The expansion project will require Kennecott to coordinate the modification of existing State of Utah protection permits that are currently associated with their mining operations.
In 2011 Kennecott began coordinating with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) to begin the process of modifying and/or acquiring new permits under the Air Quality and Water Quality programs for various facilities associated with their expansion project. Collectively the divisions of UDEQ began to coordinate on the permit reviews.
These pages provide information on the permit modifications requests and UDEQ's oversight activities associated with Kennecott's expansion project. Principally Kennecott will be coordinating with the Divisions of Air Quality and Water Quality, but some of the other divisions of UDEQ will from time to time be involved with Kennecott's expansion plans.
Current Activities and Recent Decisions
Bonneville Borrow Plant (BBP)
Kennecott Utah Copper LLC (KUC) submitted an NOI proposing a crushed stone processing plant. The product from the new crushed stone processing plant, Bonneville Borrow Plant (BBP), will be used to supply building materials related to the construction of the proposed expansion of the tailings site. This will be the second public comment period for this NOI. The first public comment period was held from January 10, 2012 to February 10, 2012 in which comments were received that resulted in new conditions and requirements being added to the proposed BBP AO. Due to the lengthy delay since the first comment period, a second comment period will be held from March 16, 2013 to April 15, 2013. Read more ... See also Fugitive Dust Control Plan.
Eastside Collection System (ECS) Modification
In September 2012 the Division of Water Quality received a modification application for Kennecott's Groundwater Discharge Permit #UGW350010. The permit modification entails the relocation of certain cut-off walls and toe drains of the ECS to facilitate the placement of overburden from the Bingham Canyon pit project in front of the existing Eastside waste rock dumps. Read more ...
Modification of Molybdenum Autoclave Process (MAP) Plant
The MAP facility is currently under construction, and commissioning is expected to start in 2013. Public comment is being sought through March 11, 2013 on Kennecott's request to modify the design of the MAP plant. Read more ...
Tailings Impoundment
On December 20, 2011, KUC submitted an NOI to expand the tailings impoundment to handle an additional 1.2 billion tons of tailings storage. The NOI contains a process description, emissions information, regulatory review, and control technology analysis. Read more....
Kennecott Power Plant
The request for approval of installation and operation of a new combined-cycle, natural gas-fired combustion turbine, that will replace three existing coal-fired boilers was approved on December 1, 2011. Read more.... | Fact Sheet
Copperton Concentrator Plant Approval Order Modification Granted
On September 8, 2011, the Division of Air Quality approved Kennecott's request to modify its Approval Order, outlined in a Notice of Intent (NOI). Read more....
Bingham Canyon Mine Expansion Approval Order Modification Granted
On June 27, 2011, the Division of Air Quality approved Kennecott's request to modify its Approval Order, outlined in a Notice of Intent (NOI). Read more....
SIP Amendment
By a vote of 5-4, the Air Quality Board approved the Amendment to the Utah State Implementation Plan on May 4, 2011. Read more....
Public Participation
The UDEQ has an open and transparent public participation process that is implemented by the divisions during their review and decisions on permit modification applications and new permit applications. As applications are received and considered, quick links on the divisional activities can be found above under the section Current Activities and Recent Decisions.
Visit the DEQ Public Participation page for information about public meetings, how to participate and make public comments, and for GRAMA requests.
The public can also contact the Office of Policy and Public Affairs:
- Public Affairs: Stacee Adams, 801-536-4482
- Media Affairs: Donna Spangler, 801-536-4484
As noted previously, the Divisions of Air Quality and Water Quality are principally responsible for coordinating reviews of permit modifications and new permit applications submitted by Kennecott. However, other Divisions may become involved as the need arises. For Division specific information about the oversight activities associated with the expansion project, see the Contacts page.
