Haile Gold Mine (HGM) is currently permitted under Title V air operating permit 1460-0070 to operate a gold mine in compliance with state and federal air quality regulations. Operations include open pit mining of gold containing ore and an ore processing plant, where physical and chemical separation techniques are used to extract gold and silver.
In June 2019, DHEC’s BLWM received an application from HGM to substantially modify its existing mine operating permit. Review of the application is currently on-going. More information about the proposed mining modification project can be found on DHEC's Haile Gold Mine – Mine Operating Permit webpage. On August 29, 2022, BAQ received an air construction permit application to increase ore throughput related to the mining expansion. As part of this construction project, the facility will be establishing a federally enforceable limit to avoid Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) of less than 250.0 tons per year of Particulate Matter (PM). The Department made a department decision to issue the construction permit on December 28, 2022.
BAQ Permitting Documents
- Title V Permit
- Title V Permit Statement of Basis
- Air Construction Permit 1460-0070-CC
- Air Construction Permit Statement of Basis for 1460-0070-CC
- Air Construction Permit 1460-0070-CD
- Air Construction Permit Statement of Basis for 1460-0070-CD
- Construction Permit 1460-0070-CD Response to Comments
BAQ Timeline of Events
- September 7, 2012 - Received construction permit application for gold mine and processing plant
- October 4, 2013 - Issued Construction Permit 1460-0070-CA for gold mine and processing plant
- March 9, 2015 - Granted construction permit CA extension for 18 months
- May 18, 2015 - Start of construction
- May 31, 2016 - Issued construction permit exemption 1460-0070.01x for relocation of primary crusher PT-1, conveyors PT-2 and PT-3, and the addition new conveyors PT-2A and PT-3A
- October 4, 2017 - Start of Operation/ 40 CFR 63 Subpart EEEEEEE Compliance Date
- April 8, 2019 - Received complete Title V Application
- April 12, 2019 - Issued Notice of Alleged Violation/Notice of Enforcement Conference for 40 CFR 63 Subpart EEEEEEE, reporting, and testing violations
- October 29, 2019 - Received construction permit application for mercury abatement system
- January 2, 2020 - Issued Construction Permit 1460-0070-CB for mercury abatement system
- November 3, 2020 - Received operating permit request for construction permit 1460-0070-CB
- December 8, 2020 – Executed Consent Order requiring HGM to comply with all reporting requirements, emissions limitations, and other permitting and regulatory requirements; the Consent Order also required HGM to pay a civil penalty for previous permit violations.
- March 2, 2021 - Draft Title V Permit on Public Notice/EPA Review
- March 31, 2021 – End of public comment period
- June 1, 2021 – Title V Air Operating Permit Issued
- August 26, 2021 - Received construction permit application for Concrete Batch Plant
- December 3, 2021 - Received updates to the construction permit application for Concrete Batch to include the Portable Crusher
- April 29, 2022 - Issued Construction Permit 1460-0070-CC for a Concrete Batch and a Portable Crusher
- August 29, 2022 - BAQ received an air construction permit application to increase ore throughput related to the mining expansion.
- November 17, 2022 – Draft Construction Permit 1460-0070-CD on Public Notice
- December 28, 2022 – Department Decision was issued for Construction Permit 1460-0070-CD which established a federally enforceable limit to avoid Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) of less than 250.0 tons per year of Particulate Matter (PM).