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2.0 INITIAL INSPECTION OBSERVATIONS <br />Miller Geotechnical Consultants (MGC) visited the facility on three occasions for visual <br />assessments of the dam stability as follows: <br />1. Site Visit 1, February 25, 2013 Site Reconnaissance: Debora J. Miller, P.E. of Miller <br />Geotechnical Consultants (MGC) visited the site and inspected the facility with <br />representatives of Battle Mountain Resources, Inc. (BMRI - Julio Madrid and Steve Carino). <br />Ground visibility was poor as there was significant snow cover at the time of the inspection. <br />Work was being done on the discharge end of the drop structure at the left dam abutment at <br />the time of the initial reconnaissance. <br />2. Site Visit 2, March 18, 2013: Alan Jewell, P.E. of MGC visited the site and inspected the <br />facility with representatives of Battle Mountain Resources, Inc. (BMRI - Julio Madrid and <br />Steve Carino), and Colorado Division of Mining, Reclamation and Safety ( CDRMS - Wally <br />Erickson and Russ Means). Ground visibility was good, with a few remaining drifts of <br />unmelted snow. <br />3. Initial Site Inspection (ISI), May 13, 2013: Alan Jewell, P.E. of MGC visited the site and <br />inspected the facility BMRI (Julio Madrid and Steve Carino), CDRMS (Wally Erickson and <br />Russ Means), and Colorado Division of Water Resources - Dam Safety Branch (Mark Perry). <br />Ground visibility was excellent, with no remaining drifts of snow. <br />Based on these inspections the dam appeared to be in good condition. Noted visible structural <br />- deficiencies on the dam embankment were minor and involved surface erosion on the <br />downstream right groin of the dam and temporary blockage and possible partial clogging of the <br />sub - drainage collection system pipe outfalls at the downstream toe of the dam. BMRI took <br />actions to address these observed deficiencies in 2013, as described in more detail in Section 3.2. <br />Additional actions are recommended in Section 6.2. <br />2.1 OPERATIONAL STATUS DURING INSPECTION <br />During the two site visits and the ISI, the facility was periodically receiving groundwater and <br />brine from the mine site. Two ponded surface water areas were observed: a small, <br />approximately 16 to 17 -acre, 2 to 3 -feet deep free -water pool in the main impoundment area, <br />located about 600 feet upstream from the dam; and water in the lower collection pool, located <br />approximately 200 feet downstream from the dam. Water in the collection pond was being <br />periodically pumped back up over the dam crest and into the impoundment free -pool area. Other <br />than these periodic water deliveries from the mine area and recirculation of water from the <br />collection pond, periodic inspection, maintenance, and monitoring, no other operations were <br />being conducted at the facility. <br />San Luis Project Miller Geotechnical Consultants <br />Tailing Dam Data Report 6 February 2014 <br />