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PERMIT#:M-2004-017 <br /> INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: PSH <br /> INSPECTION DATE: October 9,2014 <br /> OBSERVATIONS <br /> The Kattenberg Pit was inspected by Peter Hays with the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) <br /> as part of the Division's monitoring inspection program. Mr. Bob Willits with Willits Company, Inc. was <br /> present during the inspection. The site was previously inspected by the Division on October 2, 2008. <br /> The site is permitted for 38.65 total acres with 33.39 affected acres. The approved mining plan states mining <br /> will begin in the central part of the property near the old mine where a plant site will be established. Mining <br /> will create a split level pit avoiding an excessive highwall and allowing the site to be mined to the final slope. <br /> Mining will start to the north from the plant site creating a 50 to 60 foot high face when completed. Mining <br /> will progress north into the hillside at a temporary floor level until the exterior slope offset is reached. The <br /> east and west slopes will be mined to the final grade of 3:1. Once the northern mining limit is reached, the <br /> mining direction will reverse to the south and extend down to the final floor elevation. The active face will be <br /> mined vertically across the property except where it approaches the exterior slopes. In the slope area, the <br /> face will be mined to the final 3:1 slope. The mining method will leave native material as the slope base. <br /> The site was active during the inspection. The Operator has an agreement with a local contractor to remove <br /> stockpiled and pit run material and use the site for temporary storage of construction materials. Evidence of <br /> recent removal of stockpiled material was observed during the inspection and the contractor was loading <br /> imported boulders into a truck during the inspection. No processing equipment was present at the time of the <br /> inspection. Mr. Willits stated the last material processing occurred in late 2008. Only stockpiled and pit run <br /> materials have been removed from the site for several years. <br /> The site appeared mostly unchanged since the last inspection. The northeastern highwall has been mined to <br /> within ten feet of the permit boundary. Mr. Willits stated the highwall would be backfilled with stockpiled clay <br /> material the next time the appropriate equipment was at the site. The highwall was approximately 25 feet <br /> high and appeared stable. The Division recommends the highwall is backfilled to the required 3H:1V slope as <br /> soon as possible. <br /> No additional reclamation activity has occurred at site since the last inspection. The topsoil stockpiles remain <br /> east of the entrance road and along the south side of the pit. The overburden stockpiles remain west of the <br /> entrance road and along the east pit boundary. Approximately two feet of topsoil and overburden are <br /> available at the site for reclamation. The stockpiles were adequately vegetated and stable. No erosion was <br /> noted during the inspection. <br /> Noxious weeds, including Scotch Thistle and Oxeye Daisies, were observed during the inspection. The <br /> Operator must implement the noxious weed control program for the site in order to control the noxious <br /> weeds. Mr. Willits stated he would contact his weed control company to arrange for chemical spraying of the <br /> site. <br /> The Division currently holds a financial warranty of$57,100, which is adequate to complete the reclamation of <br /> the site based on the observations from this inspection. An entrance sign was posted and permit boundary <br /> markers were observed as required by Rule 3.1.12. <br /> Page 2 of 4 <br />