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January 28, 2015C-1981-035/King Coal MineMLT <br />SIGNS AND MARKERS –Rule 4.02: <br />Mine and permit identificationsigns are posted at the entrances to King I and King II from <br />County Road 120. The sign at King I had been damaged by a vehicle, but was righted during <br />the inspection. A new sign, reflecting all of the information required by 4.02.2, has been <br />ordered. <br />Perimeter markers, which read, “Permit Boundary” were in place delineating all affected <br />surface areas at both King I and King II (4.02.3). <br />The two topsoil stockpiles at King II are clearly marked, as required by 4.02.7. <br />ROADS –Rule 4.03 <br />Construction 4.03.1(3)/4.03.2(3);Drainage 4.03.1(4)/4.03.2(4);Surfacing and Maintenance <br />4.03.1(5) and (6)/4.03.2(5) and (6);Reclamation 4.03.1(7)/4.03.2(7): <br />The King II haul road and portal bench access road were in good repair. The surfaces were <br />well compacted, and frozen in some areas. <br />The rock check dams in the roadside ditch for the portal bench access road were nearly filled <br />with sediment. These structures continue to function well. <br />At King I, the haul road was cleared up to and including the former tipple pad. The surface <br />was wet and somewhat muddy due to snowmelt and frost coming out of the ground. The <br />section of road up to the shop bench and refuse pile had not been plowed. <br />SUPPORT FACILITIES -Rule 4.04: <br />At the time of the inspection, coal was being conveyed from the belt portal to Stack Tube #1, <br />and the screening/crushing tower was in operation, processing coal for transfer to Stack Tube <br />#2. Trucks were being loaded from the silos at the scale house. <br />Coal piles at the two stack tubes were average in size. Mr. Wymore said that a few weeks <br />prior to our inspection, #1 reached its maximum capacity and the conveyor belt was <br />damaged, requiring a temporary production shut-down. <br />GCC has ordered a muffler for the mine ventilation intake fan, in order to further reduce any <br />noise impacts to neighbors. <br />HYDROLOGIC BALANCE -Rule 4.05 <br />Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, 4.05.6; Discharge Structures <br />4.05.7, 4.05.10; Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring 4.05.13; <br />Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Drainage –Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; Impoundments <br />4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: <br />Culverts at King II were in need of routine maintenance, due to snow and ice, snow removal <br />operations, melting snow, and sedimentation. Mine personnel performed much of the <br />maintenance prior to the inspection’s conclusion.Drop inlets were clear, although coal from <br />Stack Tube #2 had overtopped the straw wattle protecting the inlet located east of the pad. <br />The King II sediment pond retained a pool of water at its southern end, of insufficient depth <br />to cover even the concrete footer for the spillway. The primary and emergency spillway <br />structures appeared to be intact and capable of functioning as designed. The pond inslopes <br />Number of PartialInspection this Fiscal Year: 5 <br />36 <br />Number of CompleteInspections this Fiscal Year: 3Page of <br />