2014-02-10_INSPECTION - C1980007 (3)

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January 23, 2014 C- 1980- 007/West Elk Mine Inspection Topic Summary NOTE: Y= Inspected N =Not Inspected R= Comments Noted V= Violation Issued NA =Not Applicable N - Air Resource Protection R - Roads N - Availability of Records N - Reclamation Success N - Backfill & Grading N - Revegetation N - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste N - Subsidence N - Explosives R - Slides and Other Damage N - Fish & Wildlife R - Support Facilities On -site R - Hydrologic Balance N - Signs and Markers R - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan N - Support Facilities Not On -site N - Other N - Special Categories Of Mining R - Processing Waste N - Topsoil COMMENTS This was a partial inspection of teh West Elk Mine conducted by Jim Stark of the Colorado Division of JRS Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Jessica Loveland, representing Mountain Coal, LLC, accompanied me on the inspection. West Elk was actively mining and shipping coal at the time of the inspection. The weather was cold and clear and the ground was covered with snow. HYDROLOGIC BALANCE - Rule 4.05 Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, 4.05.6; Discharge Structures 4.05.7, 4.05.10; Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Drainage — Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; Impoundments 4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: - Pond SG -1 was covered with snow but appeared to contain a small amount of water at the time of the inspection. The pond was not discharging. The pond embankment was also covered with snow but appeared to remain stable. No erosional problems were noted on the embankment. - The RPE pond east cell was basically full at the time of the inspection. The east cell was not discharging to the west cell or the receiving stream. The west cell of the RPE pond was basically dry at the time of the inspection. The RPE pond is a lined, incised pond. The area around the pond was covered with snow but the ponds appeared to remain stable. No erosional problems were noted at the RPE pond. - Pond MB 3 contained water approximately two feet below the discharge pipe and was not discharging at the time of the inspection. The pond is an incised pond. The area around the pond was stable and no erosional problems were noted. - Pond MB -4 contained water approximately two feet below the discharge pipe and was not discharging at the time of the inspection. The presettling sump was basically full but was not discharging into the main pond. Most of what was in the presettling sump appeared to be coal fines. These should be cleaned out to avoid the fines filling up the main pond. The pond and sump are incised, concrete ponds. There were no problems noted with either the pond or the sump. - Freshwater pond FW -1 was very low at the time of the inspection. FW -2 contained water a few feet below the Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 6 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 2 Page 2 of 8