_INSPECTION - C1980007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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September 26,2013 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine JRS - Both cells in pond MB-5E contained water and were not discharging at the time of the inspection. The east cell contained water approximately six feet below the emergency spillway and the west cell contained water approximately 8-feet below the emergency spillway. The ponds are basically incised ponds. The pond inslopes were well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. The area around the inslopes was also stable. The emergency spillways were stable. Currently West Elk is not permitted to discharge from pond MB- 5E. Any discharge must be routed through pond MB-3. -The RPE pond east cell contained water approximately 8 feet from the top and the west cell of the pond was basically dry. The pond was not discharging at the time of the inspection. The ponds are incised,lined pond. The pond inslopes and surrounding area were well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. The east ditch along the RPE(to the RPE pond)was stable and clean. The ditches along the west and north sides of the RPE were also clean and stable. -The freshwater and sediment control ditches from the RPEE to the RPE pond are riprapped ditches. These ditches were well maintained and stable at the time of the inspection. The sediment ditch flows west at the bottom of the drainage (to the RPE pond) and enters a half-culvert. In May a large rock came loose from the slope above the half-culvert and crushed a portion of it. The rock has been removed and the ditch has been repaired,with a replacement half-culvert installed. There is an area below the HR-I slide area(below this half-culvert)that is an SAE. The SAE is straw bales. The straw bales have all been replaced and the SAE appears to be functioning as designed. -The ditches around the LRP were stable at the time of the inspection. There was a small amount of sediment in the ditch but it is not a problem at this time. PROCESSING WASTE/COAL MINE WASTE PILES—Rule 4.10 and 4.11 Drainage Control; Surface Stabilization;Placement: -There was a large pile of material stockpiled on the LRP(on a storage bench north of the wash plant)that was removed from the mine. The material was the result of a recent roof fall in the mine. This material was being loaded and hauled to the RPEE for disposal. -The RPE was stable and well graded at the time of the inspection. There was no water pooling on the surface of the pile and the pile was graded to allow for adequate runoff to the perimeter ditches. The reclaimed surfaces of the RPE were well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. West Elk was placing subsoil and topsoil on a newly graded portion of the RPE outslopes(the area that they were working on last month, as noted in the inspection report). They were live-hauling the material from the RPEE. Once the area is complete West Elk will reseed these outslopes. -The RPEE was active at the time of the inspection. The operator was hauling, spreading and compacting refuse material from a stockpile on the LRP at the time of the inspection. They were currently working on completing the fourth lift of the pile. There were numerous piles of uncompacted refuse on the pile but the operator was actively working the pile. The operator is almost to the end of the underdrain in this portion of the pile. The underdrain will need to be extended up the drainage to allow for additional refuse placement in this area. They were working on removing subsoil and colluvial material from the next lift of the pile. This material was being hauled to the RPE where it was being used to reclaim some of the RPE's outslopes. The operator is still working on the Phase IB of the rock buttress. Much of the rock is coming from rock scaling work being performed by CDOT along McClure Pass. Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 9 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 4 Page 3 of 11