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PERMIT #: M- 1988 -022 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: MAC <br />INSPECTION DATE: January 29, 2014 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />The inspection was conducted by Michael Cunningham of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). John DeWitt and Monty Mattson of Lincoln County were also present for the inspection. The Smith <br />Ranch Pit No. 2 site is located approximately 5 miles west of Karval, Colorado. The site is permitted for 4 acres <br />and the post- mining land use is rangeland. The ground was partially covered with snow at the time of the <br />inspection. <br />Mining at the Smith Ranch Pit No. 2 is complete and reclamation of the pit occurred in 2005. The Operator <br />received approval of a Technical Revision in 2009 to leave slopes steeper than 4HAV. The existing pit slopes <br />range from 3HAV to 4H:1V. The Division observed minor rilling at the top of the pit along the east side; the <br />graded pit slopes were otherwise stable. <br />The vegetative cover at the site has not improved since the last inspection. The site was last seeded and <br />mulched in 2011. The Division has observed some grass germination throughout the site; however, the <br />majority of the ground is either bare or covered with annual weeds. The difficulty in establishing vegetation is <br />in part related to the drought conditions this part of the state has been experiencing over the past several <br />years. The Operator should consider seeding the site again this spring to take advantage of any late season <br />moisture. In addition, the Operator may want to consider revising the Reclamation Plan to change the seed <br />mix. The current seed mix contains species which are only moderately drought tolerant; using grass species <br />more suited to drought conditions such as bluebunch wheatgrass, sand dropseed, prairie sandreed or buffalo <br />grass. <br />This concluded the inspection. <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />