Administrative Rules of Montana
Department 17 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Chapter 17.24 - RECLAMATION
Subchapter 17.24.10 - Strip and Underground Mine Reclamation Act: Prospecting
Rule 17.24.1005 - DRILL HOLES
Universal Citation: MT Admin Rules 17.24.1005
Current through Register Vol. 6, March 22, 2024
(1) Prospecting operations must be conducted to completely avoid:
(a) degradation or diminution of any existing
or potential water supply; and
(b)
adverse impacts to existing or potential mining operations. All prospecting
holes must be abandoned in accordance with the following provisions unless the
hole has been transferred as a water well in compliance with ARM
17.24.647 or unless a delay is
approved by the department.
(2) The prospector shall use appropriate techniques to:
(a) prevent the escape of
water, oil, or gas from all drill holes;
(b) prevent contamination of all surface and
ground waters, and prevent interaquifer mixing;
(c) prevent aquifer contamination by surface
drainage; and
(d) reclaim all
surface impacts and prevent settling that may result from prospecting-related
activities.
(3) Unless alternative procedures are approved or required by the department, the prospector shall use the following reclamation techniques:
(a) cuttings must be spread over the earth's
surface to a depth less than 1/2 inch or be removed to an approved disposal
pit. Cuttings must not be placed in the hole. Proper soil salvage and
reclamation techniques consistent with ARM
17.24.501 and
17.24.701 through
17.24.703 must be used at the
disposal pit;
(b) whenever a cased
drill hole is not transferred to the affected landowner as a water well, the
casing must be cut off at the surface on rangeland and two feet below the
surface on cropland or pastureland;
(c) promptly after prospecting on a site is
completed, and unless otherwise approved by the department, all drill holes
must be abandoned in accordance with the following:
(i) Whenever circulation is lost to the
formation or artesian conditions are encountered, a homogeneous cement grout
must be slurried into the hole from the bottom to within two feet of the
surface and topsoil placed in the remaining two feet.
(ii) Whenever circulation is not lost, a
swelling bentonitic clay grout with no less than 50% bentonite solids per unit
volume must be placed in each abandoned drill hole, from the bottom of the hole
to within two feet of the land surface. Precautions must be taken to ensure
that no bridging occurs between the bottom and top of the hole. The entire hole
must be filled with the grout to form a continuous grout column from bottom of
the hole to two feet below the natural land surface.
(iii) A magnetic marker must be placed on the
top of the grout. The remaining two feet of the hole must be backfilled with
cuttings or suitable soil material;
(d) A detailed description of all methods and
materials to be used for casing and grouting all water wells, monitor wells, or
holes that are not abandoned in accordance with (c) immediately after drilling
must be provided to the department. All cased holes, water wells, and monitor
wells must be completed in a manner approved by the department. All wells and
other drill holes must be constructed and maintained in compliance with the
performance standards contained in ARM
17.24.632, 17.24.647, 17.24.1005,
and 17.24.1011 through 17.24.1013, and ARM Title 36, chapter 21, subchapters 6
and 8.
(4) If excavations, artificially flat areas, or embankments are created for or during prospecting, they must be promptly returned to approximate original contour after they are no longer needed for prospecting.
AUTH: 82-4-205, MCA; IMP: 82-4-226, MCA
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Montana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.