Laserfiche WebLink
February 19, 2014 C- 1981 - 013 /Golden Eagle Mine LDS <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y= Inspected N =Not Inspected R= Comments Noted V= Violation Issued NA =Not Applicable <br />Y - Air Resource Protection <br />N - Availability of Records <br />Y - Backfill & Grading <br />R - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />R - Explosives <br />Y - Fish & Wildlife <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />R - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />N - Other <br />R - Processing Waste <br />R - Roads <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />N - Slides and Other Damage <br />Y - Support Facilities On -site <br />Y - Signs and Markers <br />N - Support Facilities Not On -site <br />N - Special Categories Of Mining <br />N - Topsoil <br />COMMENTS <br />This was a partial inspection by Leigh Simmons of Colorado Division for Reclamation, Mining and <br />Safety, (the Division). The inspection was accompanied by John Terry of New Elk Coal Company, (NECC). The <br />weather was fine. Several permitting actions are in progress, these are detailed under the heading GENERAL <br />MINE PLAN COMPLIANCE. Two recent enforcement actions have been abated and terminated; a third has since <br />been issued and is in the process of being abated. Details are given under the heading ENFORCEMENT <br />ACTIONS. <br />The New Elk Mine continues in Temporary Cessation whilst NECC searches for investors and coal <br />customers. Doug Blackburn described a new mine plan that he had developed and was shortly to propose to the <br />board of Cline Mining (before the end of March, he thought). The plan will need board approval before it is <br />submitted to the Division, but sees 9 months of preparation work following the agreement of a sales contract <br />before any coal production begins. <br />EXCESS SPOIL and DEVELOPMENT WASTE — Rule 4.09 <br />Placement; Drainage Control; Surface Stabilization: <br />DWDA 1 was stable and well vegetated. <br />DWDA 2 continues to show signs of surface erosion, although there was no evidence of instability. <br />Surface erosion will continue to be a problem until the pile can be reclaimed. It is important to note that the repairs <br />made to the ditch on the south -west edge of the pile have changed the shape of the pile itself. NECC should <br />consider it a matter of priority to reshape the pile in accordance with the approved design. <br />Development waste continues to be stored in the soil storage area. This can only be a temporary measure. <br />At some point the waste will need to be moved to the approved - but not yet bonded - DWDA 3, or transported <br />onto the RDA. <br />EXPLOSIVES — Rule 4.08 <br />Distance Prohibitions 4.08.4; Warnings 4.08.4; Control of Adverse Effects 4.08.4: <br />Chemicals which had been moved from the embankment of pond 7 were still being stored in the old <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 6 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br />Page 2 of 8 <br />