NC0000353_Renewal Application_20180504

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• • • . AERAS
® •� ENVIRONMENTAL
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May 04,2018
Mr. David Hill
NC Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources/NPDES Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
Re: NPDES Renewal Application
The Quartz Corp USA
78 Altapass Road RECEIVEDIDENRIDWR
Spruce Pine,Mitchell County,North Carolina
Permit No.NC0000353 MAY 2018
Water Resources
Dear Mr. Hill: permitting Section
This letter and supporting documents represent a permit renewal application prepared by AERIS
Environmental, Inc.for The Quartz Corp USA located at 787 Altapass Road in Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
An initial renewal application was submitted to your office on July 10, 2015. This submittal is provided in
response to your email request to Teresa Morris dated February 15,2018.
Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact me by telephone at
704.367.1971 or by email at [e-mail]. The facility contact is Ms.Teresa Morris by telephone
at 828.765.9621,ext.7030 or by email at [e-mail].
° Sincerely,
vst:u.S ta.-r...<-0,..._____
V
Kevin S.Woods, PE
Enclosures:Short Form C,Site Map
1440 Blueberry Lane•Charlotte,North Carolina 28226
704.367.1971(phone/fax)
www.aerisenviro.com

" NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - Minor Industrial
Minor industrial, manufacturing and commercial facilities.
Mail the complete application to:
N. C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality / NPDES Unit
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
NPDES Permit Number NC0000353
Please print or type.
1. Contact Information:
Owner Name The Quartz Corp USA
Facility Name The Quartz Corp USA
Mailing Address P.O. Box 309
City Spruce Pine
State / Zip Code NC 28777
Telephone Number 828.765.5500
Fax Number 828.766.2110
e-mail Address [e-mail]
2. Location of facility producing discharge:
Check here if same as above 0
Street Address or State Road 797 Altapass Highway
City Spruce Pine
State / Zip Code NC 28777 .--
County Mitchell
3. Operator Information:
Name of the firm, consultant or other entity that operates the facility. (Note that this is not referring to the
Operator in Responsible Charge or ORC)
Name The Quartz Corp USA
Mailing Address P.O. Box 309
City Spruce Pine
State / Zip Code NC 28777
Telephone Number 828.765.5500
Fax Number 828.766.2110
4. Ownership Status:
Federal ❑ State ❑ Private X Public ❑
Page 1 of 5 C-MI 10/08

NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - Minor Industrial
Minor industrial, manufacturing and commercial facilities.
5. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code(s): 1499 -Miscellaneous Nonmetallic Minerals,
Except Fuels
6. Number of employees: 46
7. Describe the treatment system List all installed waste treatment components with capacities,
describe the processes that generate wastewaters. If the space provided is not sufficient attach a
separate sheet of paper with the system description.
Wastewater streams from processing ore are separated into fluoride and non-fluoride streams.
The streams are equalized and neutralized before the addition of polymers and transfer to
clarifiers. Underflows are pumped to vacuum filters for moisture removal. Resultant tailings
are used as fill or landfilled. Clarifier effluent is recycled or discharged.
3.5 MGD wastewater treatment facility consists of the following:
-Three clarifiers;
- Polymer feed system;
- Lime feed system for pH adjustment;
-Vacuum filters;
- Emico clarifier/thickener;
- Pump station emergency generator;
- Flow measuring and totalizing equipment; and
-Two recycle pumps.
8. Is facility covered under federal effluent limitation guidelines? No ® Yes ❑
If yes, specify the category?
9. Principal product(s) produced: High Purity Quartz
Principal raw material(s) consumed: Quartz Ore
Briefly describe the manufacturing process(es):
Mined quartz ore is sized and washed. A flotation process using dilute hydrofluoric acid separates
high purity quartz which is drained, dried and further processed for customer shipments.
10. Amount of principal product produced, or raw material consumed
(List specific amounts consumed and/or units of production over the last three years)
Product Produced or Raw Material Product Produced or Raw Material
Consumed Consumed
(AVERAGE) (PEAK)
per Day 877 tons/day raw material (2015-17) 1,136 tons/day raw material (2016)
per Month 26,303 tons/mo raw material (2015-17) 34,084 tons/mo raw material (2016)
per Year 316,485 tons/yr raw material (2015-17) 411,543 tons/yr raw material (2016)
Page 2 of 5 C-MI 10/08

NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - Minor Industrial
Minor industrial, manufacturing and commercial facilities.
11. Frequency of discharge: Continuous ® Intermittent ❑
If intermittent:
Days per week discharge occurs: Duration:
12. Types of wastewater discharged to surface waters only
Flow
Discharge
(GALLONS PER DAY)
Sanitary - monthly average 0 gpd
Utility water, etc. - monthly average 0 gpd
Process water - monthly average 3,000,000 gpd
Stormwater-monthly average 0 gpd (retention basins limit stormwater discharge to
negligible flow)
Other-monthly average
Explain: 0 gpd
Monthly Average 3,000,000 gpd
total discharge (all types)
13. Number of separate discharge points: Four
Outfall Identification number(s): 001 (stormwater), 002 (stormwater), 003 (stormwater), 004
(effluent)
14. Name of receiving stream(s) (Provide a map showing the exact location of each outfall, including
latitude and longitude):
North Toe River. Map is attached.
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Page 3 of 5 C-MI 10/08

,
NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - Minor Industrial
Minor industrial, manufacturing and commercial facilities.
15. Effluent Data [for new or proposed discharges]
Provide data for the parameters listed. Temperature and pH shall be grab samples,for all other parameters 24-hour
composite sampling shall be used.If more than one analysis is reported, report daily maximum and monthly average.
If only one analysis is reported, report as daily maximum.
NOTE: Permittees requesting renewal should complete the table ONLY for the parameters
currently monitored. Summarize the past 3 years of effluent data.
Parameter Daily Monthly Units of
Maximum Average Measurement
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BODS)
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
Total Organic Carbon
Total Suspended Solids 2370 915 lb/day
Ammonia as N
Temperature (Summer)
Temperature (Winter)
pH 7.80 6.89
Fecal Coliform (If sanitary waste is .
present)
Total Residual Chlorine (if chlorine is
used)
16. List all permits, construction approvals and/or applications (check all that apply and provide
permit numbers or check none if not applicable):
Type Permit Number Type Permit Number
Hazardous Waste (RCRA) NCR000144774 NESHAPS (CAA) None
UIC (SDWA) None Ocean Dumping (MPRSA) None
NPDES NC0000353 Dredge or fill (Section 404 or CWA) None
PSD (CAA) None Other None
Non-attainment program (CAA) None
17. List any chemicals that may be discharged (Please list and explain source and potential
amounts.)
The following chemical substances were identified in test results of effluent dated June 2015.
The source(s) of the substances is not known, though they may have been present in the raw
water obtained from Grassy Creek for use in processing:
Fluoride (16984-48-8) from the flotation process, up to 8.90 mg/L
Nitrate-Nitrite, as N, up to 0.39 mg/L
Nitrogen, Total Organic (as N), up to 0.97 mg/L
Phosphorous, as P, up to 0.05 mg/L
Page 4 of 5 C-MI 10/08

NPDES PERMIT APPLICATION - SHORT FORM C - Minor Industrial
Minor industrial, manufacturing and commercial facilities.
Aluminum (7429-90-5), up to 0.41 mg/L
Barium (7440-39-3), up to 0.025 mg/L
Iron (7439-89-6), up to 0.93 mg/L
Magnesium (7439-95-4), up to 2.5 mg/L
Molybdenum (7439-98-7), up to 0.218 mg/L
Manganese (7439-96-5), up to 0.01 mg/L
Nickel (7440-02-0), up to 0.026 mg/L
Zinc (7440-66-6), up to 0.01 mg/L
18. Is this facility located on Indian country? (check one)
Yes ❑ No El
19. Applicant Certification
I certify that I am familiar with the information contained in the application and that to the
best of my knowledge and belief such information is true, complete, and accurate.
V4 / 6 Offofra,i4/ Ae-r.
Printed name of Person S gning Title
S I
gnature of Applic Date
North Carolina General Statute 143-215.6 (b)(2) provides that: Any person who knowingly makes any false
statement representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan, or other document files or
required to be maintained under Article 21 or regulations of the Environmental Management Commission
implementing that Article, or who falsifies, tampers with, or knowingly renders inaccurate any recording or
monitoring device or method required to be operated or maintained under Article 21 or regulations of the
Environmental Management Commission implementing that Article, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable
by a fine not to exceed $25,000, or by imprisonment not to exceed six months, or by both. (18 U.S.C. Section
1001 provides a punishment by a fine of not more than $25,000 or imprisonment not more than 5 years, or both,
for a similar offense.)
Page 5 of 5 C-MI 10/08

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