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Home My WebLink AboutNC0000353_Compliance Evaluation Inspection_20240821 SENT VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY: NO HARD COPY WILL BE MAILED August 21, 2024 John K Silver The Quartz Corp USA Email: john.silver@thequartzcorp.com SUBJECT: Compliance Inspection Report The Feldspar Corporation NPDES WW Permit No. NC0000353 Mitchell County Dear Permittee: The North Carolina Division of Water Resources conducted an inspection of the TFC/Altapass facility on 8/13/2024. This inspection was conducted to verify that the facility is operating in compliance with the conditions and limitations specified in NPDES WW Permit No. NC0000353. The findings and comments noted during this inspection are provided in the enclosed copy of the inspection report entitled "Compliance Inspection Report". There were no significant issues or findings noted during the inspection and therefore, a response to this inspection report is not required. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mikal Willmer with the Water Quality Regional Operations Section in the Asheville Regional Office at 828-296-4686 or via email at mikal.willmer@deq.nc.gov. Sincerely, Andrew Moore, Regional Supervisor Water Quality Regional Operations Section Asheville Regional Office Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ ATTACHMENTS: Inspection Report Ec: LF Docusign Envelope ID: 31090A5E-7342-4F71-AA06-988B1B1982A6 EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, D.C. 20460 Water Compliance Inspection Report Form Approved. OMB No. 2040-0057 Approval expires 8-31-98 Section A: National Data System Coding (i.e., PCS) Transaction Code NPDES yr/mo/day Inspection Type Inspector Fac Type 1 N 52 NC0000353 24/08/13 C S31112171819 20 21 66 Inspection Work Days Facility Self-Monitoring Evaluation Rating B1 QA ----------------------Reserved------------------- N67707172 73 74 75 80 Section B: Facility Data Name and Location of Facility Inspected (For Industrial Users discharging to POTW, also include POTW name and NPDES permit Number) The Feldspar Corporation 530 Altapass Rd Spruce Pine NC 28777 Entry Time/Date Permit Effective Date Exit Time/Date Permit Expiration Date 10:00AM 24/08/13 12/06/01 Name(s) of Onsite Representative(s)/Titles(s)/Phone and Fax Number(s) /// John Kyle Silver/ORC/828-765-8979/ Other Facility Data 12:00PM 24/08/13 16/02/28 Name, Address of Responsible Official/Title/Phone and Fax Number John K Silver,PO Box 99 Spruce Pine NC 287770099//828-765-8979/Contacted Yes Section C: Areas Evaluated During Inspection (Check only those areas evaluated) Permit Flow Measurement Operations & Maintenance Records/Reports Self-Monitoring Program Sludge Handling Disposal Facility Site Review Effluent/Receiving Waters Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) (See attachment summary) Name(s) and Signature(s) of Inspector(s)Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date Mikal Willmer DWR/ARO WQ/828-296-4686/ Signature of Management Q A Reviewer Agency/Office/Phone and Fax Numbers Date EPA Form 3560-3 (Rev 9-94) Previous editions are obsolete. Page#1 Docusign Envelope ID: 31090A5E-7342-4F71-AA06-988B1B1982A6 8/21/2024 8/21/2024 NPDES yr/mo/day 24/08/13 Inspection Type C3111218 1 Section D: Summary of Finding/Comments (Attach additional sheets of narrative and checklists as necessary) Mikal Willmer, with the Asheville Regional Office, conducted a compliance evaluation inspection of Quartz Corps Altapass facility. This inspection was conducted to determine whether the facility is being operated and maintained in compliance with NPDES Permit # NC0000353. John Silver, Quartz Corp, was present and assisted in the inspection. Overall, the facility is being operated and maintained in compliance with the conditions of the permit. The treatment process is physical/chemical and primarily consists of pH adjustment and solids settling before discharging to the North Toe River. The permit is expired and has been in renewal since 2016. Tailings Tank: non-fluoride waste streams from plant 1 enter the tailing tanks upstream of the WWTP. Two pumps are installed and the pond next to the tailings tank has been increased in size. Any flows that enter the pond by the tailings tank can be pumped back into the WWTP. Thickeners: Pipes are labelled throughout the facility. Waste streams are divided into fluoride and non-fluoride. pH adjustment is achieved through a liquid lime system and the addition of alum for further adjustment before entering the WWTP. Waste flows are treated with polymer prior to entering the thickeners to aid in settling. Non-fluoride waste streams can be routed to the E-Cat and 40’ thickener. Neutralized fluorinated flows are routed to the 55’ thickener. The 35’ thickener has not been used in years and the interior of the tank is rusting from exposure to UV and air. The other thickeners are aging but are still operable and are inspected during plant shutdowns. The last compliance evaluation inspection in 2018 noted covers over the thickeners. These have since been removed. Solids/Tailings: All underflows are routed to the vacuum disc filters to remove excess water before disposing of the tailings at the offsite Quartz Corp permitted landfill. The plant staff appear to maintain adequate solids handling and removal. The facility is currently utilizing one bank of filters at a time. Monitoring Equipment: All equipment for the WWTP is connected to a central SCADA system viewable within the control room of the WWTP. The facility has inline pH monitoring so the waste streams can be retreated if they do not meet set warning limits. Staff are always onsite to monitor the system; however, there are also audible and visual alarms available throughout the facility. Outfall: There is a significant drop in elevation from the knife-edge weir by the plant to the discharge into the North Toe. Quartz Corp has shortened the effluent pipe and installed boulders below the outfall to help dissipate the effluent velocity before it enters the river. Due to the velocity of the discharge, significant air is entrained in the effluent which creates a visually distinct plume at the discharge. This appears to dissipate approximately 50 feet downstream. Upcoming Site Work: Old tanks and abandoned piping are scheduled to be removed once they can get a crane onsite. Quartz Corp will be adding an 800,000-gallon capacity E-pond below the WWTP. This is estimated to provide approximately 6 hours of storage. If needed, the processing plants can be shut down in to prevent a discharge to the river. Quartz Corp is exploring upgrade and replacement options for the Altapass facility and a final decision regarding the best treatment upgrades will likely be made once the new permit limits and requirements are available. NC0000353 17 (Cont.) Page#2 Docusign Envelope ID: 31090A5E-7342-4F71-AA06-988B1B1982A6 Permit:NC0000353 Inspection Date:08/13/2024 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: The Feldspar Corporation Compliance Evaluation Operations & Maintenance Yes No NA NE Is the plant generally clean with acceptable housekeeping? Does the facility analyze process control parameters, for ex: MLSS, MCRT, Settleable Solids, pH, DO, Sludge Judge, and other that are applicable? monitor pH and flouride.Comment: Permit Yes No NA NE (If the present permit expires in 6 months or less). Has the permittee submitted a new application? Is the facility as described in the permit? # Are there any special conditions for the permit? Is access to the plant site restricted to the general public? Is the inspector granted access to all areas for inspection? There are several special conditions: A.5 & A.7 reopener conditions, A.8 permit modification and A.6 solids removal. Comment: Chemical Feed Yes No NA NE Is containment adequate? Is storage adequate? Are backup pumps available? Is the site free of excessive leaking? The pH adjustment tanks and chemical storage tanks are double walled. In the event, there was a leak, it is directed to pond by the Tailing's tank. This can then be pumped back into the treatment system. Comment: Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Are records kept and maintained as required by the permit? Is all required information readily available, complete and current? Are all records maintained for 3 years (lab. reg. required 5 years)? Are analytical results consistent with data reported on DMRs? Is the chain-of-custody complete? Dates, times and location of sampling Name of individual performing the sampling Results of analysis and calibration Dates of analysis Name of person performing analyses Page#3 Docusign Envelope ID: 31090A5E-7342-4F71-AA06-988B1B1982A6 Permit:NC0000353 Inspection Date:08/13/2024 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: The Feldspar Corporation Compliance Evaluation Record Keeping Yes No NA NE Transported COCs Are DMRs complete: do they include all permit parameters? Has the facility submitted its annual compliance report to users and DWQ? (If the facility is = or > 5 MGD permitted flow) Do they operate 24/7 with a certified operator on each shift? Is the ORC visitation log available and current? Is the ORC certified at grade equal to or higher than the facility classification? Is the backup operator certified at one grade less or greater than the facility classification? Is a copy of the current NPDES permit available on site? Facility has copy of previous year's Annual Report on file for review? All requested paperwork was available for review.Comment: Secondary Clarifier Yes No NA NE Is the clarifier free of black and odorous wastewater? Is the site free of excessive buildup of solids in center well of circular clarifier? Are weirs level? Is the site free of weir blockage? Is the site free of evidence of short-circuiting? Is scum removal adequate? Is the site free of excessive floating sludge? Is the drive unit operational? Is the return rate acceptable (low turbulence)? Is the overflow clear of excessive solids/pin floc? Is the sludge blanket level acceptable? (Approximately ¼ of the sidewall depth) This is a physical/chemical facility only. ECAT system, 40', 55' and 35' thickeners. Underflows are sent to vacuum disc filters Comment: Standby Power Yes No NA NE Is automatically activated standby power available? Is the generator tested by interrupting primary power source? Is the generator tested under load? Was generator tested & operational during the inspection? Do the generator(s) have adequate capacity to operate the entire wastewater site? Page#4 Docusign Envelope ID: 31090A5E-7342-4F71-AA06-988B1B1982A6 Permit:NC0000353 Inspection Date:08/13/2024 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: The Feldspar Corporation Compliance Evaluation Standby Power Yes No NA NE Is there an emergency agreement with a fuel vendor for extended run on back-up power? Is the generator fuel level monitored? Quartz Corp staff maintain the generators and retain adequate fuel storage onsite. In the event of an extended outage, the processing plants can be shutdown. Comment: Solids Handling Equipment Yes No NA NE Is the equipment operational? Is the chemical feed equipment operational? Is storage adequate? Is the site free of high level of solids in filtrate from filter presses or vacuum filters? Is the site free of sludge buildup on belts and/or rollers of filter press? Is the site free of excessive moisture in belt filter press sludge cake? The facility has an approved sludge management plan? Underflows are processed through a disc filter to remove additional moisture and the tailings are then sent to the Quartz Corp permitted offsite landfill. Comment: Laboratory Yes No NA NE Are field parameters performed by certified personnel or laboratory? Are all other parameters(excluding field parameters) performed by a certified lab? # Is the facility using a contract lab? # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Incubator (Fecal Coliform) set to 44.5 degrees Celsius+/- 0.2 degrees? Incubator (BOD) set to 20.0 degrees Celsius +/- 1.0 degrees? Small lab within the WWTP building. Process pH, settleable solids, chloride & TSS. Toxicity and fluoride are sent to ETS. Comment: Flow Measurement - Effluent Yes No NA NE # Is flow meter used for reporting? Is flow meter calibrated annually? Is the flow meter operational? (If units are separated) Does the chart recorder match the flow meter? The flow meter is calibrated every six months by Thurman Horne. Last calibration was 7-1-24. Comment: Page#5 Docusign Envelope ID: 31090A5E-7342-4F71-AA06-988B1B1982A6 Permit:NC0000353 Inspection Date:08/13/2024 Owner - Facility: Inspection Type: The Feldspar Corporation Compliance Evaluation Effluent Pipe Yes No NA NE Is right of way to the outfall properly maintained? Are the receiving water free of foam other than trace amounts and other debris? If effluent (diffuser pipes are required) are they operating properly? See summary for details.Comment: Effluent Sampling Yes No NA NE Is composite sampling flow proportional? Is sample collected below all treatment units? Is proper volume collected? Is the tubing clean? # Is proper temperature set for sample storage (kept at less than or equal to 6.0 degrees Celsius)? Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type representative)? Backup sampler available onsite.Comment: Upstream / Downstream Sampling Yes No NA NE Is the facility sampling performed as required by the permit (frequency, sampling type, and sampling location)? Downstream location is in the Town of Spruce Pine due to accessibility along the river immediately below the outfall. Comment: Page#6 Docusign Envelope ID: 31090A5E-7342-4F71-AA06-988B1B1982A6