Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Natural Resources
NR 200-299 - Environmental Protection Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Chapter NR 270 - Ore mining and dressing
Section NR 270.102 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology (BPT)

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code § NR 270.102

Current through August 26, 2024

Except as provided in ss. NR 270.0015, 270.002 and 270.003 and 40 CFR 125.30- 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subcategory shall achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT):

(1) 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 ores open-pit or underground operations other than placer deposits may not exceed:

Effluent characteristic	[BPT] Effluent limitations
Effluent characteristic	Maximum for any 1 day	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Milligrams per liter
TSS	30.0	20.0
Cu	0.3	0.15
Zn	1.0	0.75
Pb	0.6	0.3
Hg	0.002	0.001
pH	(1)	(1)

(2) 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 may not exceed:

Effluent characteristic	[BPT] Effluent limitations
Effluent characteristic	Maximum for any 1 day	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Milligrams per liter
TSS	30.0	20.0
Cu	0.3	0.15
Zn	1.0	0.5
Pb	0.6	0.3
Hg	0.002	0.001
Cd	0.1	0.05
pH	(1)	(1)

1 Within the range 6.0 to 9.0

(3)

(a) Except as provided in this subsection, there may not be 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.

(b) 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 sub. (1).

(4)

(a) Except as provided in this subsection, there may not be discharge of process wastewater to navigable waters from mills which extract gold or silver by use of the cyanidation process.

Note: The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from mines of discharged from mine and mill complexes beneficiating gold ores or silver ores by gravity separation methods including mining of placer deposits, dredge mining and hydraulic mining operations will be proposed and promulgated at a late date.

(6) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from mines producing 5000 metric tons (5512 short tons) or more of molybdenum bearing ores per year may not exceed:

Effluent characteristic	[BPT] Effluent limitations
Effluent characteristic	Maximum for any 1 day	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Milligrams per liter
TSS	30.0	20.0
Cd	0.10	0.05
Cu	0.3	0.15
Zn	1.0	0.5
Pb	0.6	0.3
As	1.0	0.5
pH	(1)	(1)

(7) The concentration of pollutants discharged in mine drainage from mines producing less than 5000 metric tons (5512 short tons) or discharged from mills processing less than 5000 metric tons (5512 short tons) of molybdenum ores per year by methods other than ore leaching may not exceed:

[BPT] Effluent limitations
Effluent characteristic	Maximum for any 1 day	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Milligrams per liter
TSS	50.0	30.0
pH	(1)	(1)

1 Within the range 6.0 to 9.0

(8) 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, and heavy media separation may not exceed:

Effluent characteristic	[BPT] Effluent limitations
Effluent characteristic	Maximum for any 1 day	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Milligrams per liter
TSS	30.0	20.0
Cd	0.1	0.05
Cu	0.3	0.15
Zn	1.0	0.5
As	1.0	0.5
pH	(1)	(1)

(9) The concentration of pollutants discharged from mills processing 5000 metric tons (5512 short tons) or more of molybdenum ores per year by froth flotation methods may not exceed:

Effluent characteristic	[BPT] Effluent limitations
Effluent characteristic	Maximum for any 1 day	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days
Milligrams per liter
TSS	30.0	20.0
Cd	0.1	0.05
Cu	0.3	0.15
Zn	1.0	0.5
As	1.0	0.5
pH	(1)	(1)

1 Within the range 6.0 to 9.0

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