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March 11, 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 />R - Roads <br />N - 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 partial inspection of the West Elk Mine conducted by Jim Stark of the Colorado Division of <br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Jessica Loveland, representing Mountain Coal, LLC, accompanied me on the <br />inspection. West Elk was actively mining and shipping coal at the time of the inspection. The weather was cool <br />and overcast and the ground was partially covered with snow. The mine has been experiencing a lot of runoff <br />from the melting snow. There was also a large rainfall event over the past weekend. Areas where the snow has <br />melted or is melting were very wet and muddy. <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 contained water approximately three feet below the primary discharge <br />and was not discharging. The pond embankment was covered with snow but appeared to remain stable at the time <br />of the inspection. No erosional problems were noted. <br />- Freshwater pond FW -1 was basically full at the time of the inspection. The pond has been filled from its low <br />water mark since the Division's last inspection. Pond FW -2 was also basically full. The pond embankments were <br />both stable and no erosional problems were noted on either pond embankment. <br />- The east cell of the RPE pond was full and water was being pumped into the sealed area of the mine for storage. <br />This pumping and storage is approved in the West Elk permit and the water will be pumped from the mine at a <br />later date and used for mine operations. The pond was not discharging into the receiving stream. The west cell of <br />the RPE pond contained several feet of water and was not discharging at the time of the inspection. The RPE pond <br />is a lined, incised pond. The pond was stable and no erosional problems were noted. <br />- Pond MB -3 contained water approximately three feet below the discharge pipe and was not discharging into the <br />receiving stream at the time of the inspection. The pond embankment was stable and no erosional problems were <br />noted. <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 7 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br />Page 2 of 14 <br />