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February 13, 2014 C- 1980- 007/West Elk Mine JRS <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y= Inspected N =Not Inspected R= Comments Noted V= Violation Issued NA =Not Applicable <br />N - Air Resource Protection <br />N - Roads <br />R - Availability of Records <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />N - Subsidence <br />N - Explosives <br />R - Slides and Other Damage <br />N - Fish & Wildlife <br />N - Support Facilities On -site <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />N - Signs and Markers <br />R - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />N - Support Facilities Not On -site <br />N - Other <br />N - Special Categories Of Mining <br />R - Processing Waste <br />N - Topsoil <br />COMMENTS <br />This was a complete inspection of the West Elk Mine conducted by Jim Stark of the Colorado Division of <br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division). Jessica Loveland, representing Mountain Coal, accompanied me on <br />the inspection. During the inspection the mine was actively producing coal and loading and shipping coal from <br />the loadout. The weather was cool and overcast and the ground was covered with snow. <br />AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS — Rule 5.02.4(1): <br />- All of the required records were available in Kathy Welt's office in the main office building. Please see the <br />Division's Availability of Records form at the end of this inspection report for more detailed information. <br />HYDROLOGIC BALANCE - Rule 4.05 Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, <br />4.05.6; Discharge Structures 4.05.7, 4.05.10; Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring <br />4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Drainage — Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; Impoundments 4.05.6, <br />4.05.9, Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: <br />- Pond SG -1 was covered with snow but appeared to contain a small amount of water at the time of the inspection. <br />The pond embankment was also covered with snow. The pond embankment appeared to be stable. No erosional <br />problems were noted on the pond embankment at the time of the inspection. <br />- The east cell of the RPE pond was basically full at the time of the inspection. The cell was not discharging into <br />the receiving stream or the west cell. The operator was, however, pumping water from the east cell through the <br />wash plant and into Pond MB -5E. The west cell of the RPE pond was basically dry at the time of the inspection. <br />The pond in a lined, incised pond. It was stable and no erosional problems were noted. <br />- Both cells of Pond MB -5E contained water (both were approximately half full) but were not discharging at the <br />time of the inspection. Water was flowing into the south cell from the RPE pond's east cell. The pond in a lined, <br />incised pond. It was stable and no erosional problems were noted. <br />Pond MB -3 contained water approximately two feet below the discharge pipe and was not discharging at the time <br />of the inspection. The incised pond was well vegetated and stable and no erosional problems were noted. <br />- Pond FW -1 was covered with snow. It contained water approximately 10 feet below the top. Pond FW -2 was <br />also covered with snow. It contained water just below the spillway. Both pond embankments were stable and no <br />erosional problems were noted at the time of the inspection. <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 6 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br />Page 2 of 5 <br />