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May 26, 2015 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine <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 />N - Hydrologic Balance <br />N - Signs and Markers <br />N - 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 />JRS <br />This was an aerial inspection of the West Elk Mine conducted by Jim Stark of the Colorado Division of <br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Harry Ranney, also with the Division, took the photographs. No company <br />representative was present for the aerial inspection. The mine is currently producing and shipping coal. The <br />weather was clear and the ground appeared to be dry. <br />PROCESSING WASTE/COAL MINE WASTE PILES — Rule 4.10 and 4.11: Drainage Control; Surface <br />Stabilization; Placement: <br />- The RPEE was stable at the time of the inspection. The working bench was well graded and there was only a <br />small pile of unspread, uncompacted refuse. There was no standing water on the surface of the pile. The operator <br />has completed the underdrain approximately 75 feet up the valley so it is ready for refuse placement. The <br />reclaimed slopes were mostly stable at the time of the inspection. There was some minor movement at the bottom <br />of the third lift. This area will need to be reworked and reseeded. The rock buttress remained stable. <br />- The RPE was well graded at the time of the inspection. There was no water pooling on the surface of the pile. <br />The large pile of refuse material from the F -Seam belt rehab remains stockpiled on the RPE. This material will <br />need to be hauled to the RPEE and spread and compacted this summer. The reclaimed slopes of the RPE <br />remained stable and well vegetated, with no erosional problems noted. <br />ROADS — Rule 4.03: Construction 4.03.1(3)/4.032(3); Drainage 4.03.1(4)/4.032(4); Surfacing and Maintenance <br />4.03.1(5) and (6)/4.032(5) and (6); Reclamation 4.03.1(7)/4.032(7): <br />- The haul road to the RPEE was stable and well maintained at the time of the inspection. There was no visible <br />rutting and no erosional problems were noted. There were two small slumps above the haul road on the cut slope <br />just south of the RPE. These areas will need to be repaired. <br />SLIDES and DAMAGE - Rule 4.12: <br />- The HR -1 slide area remained stable at the time of the inspection. The aerials show decent vegetative growth on <br />the remediated slope, which should help to further stabilize it. As noted previously, there is a small slump just east <br />of the RPE. This slump area will need to be fixed. <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 8 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br />Page 2 of 8 <br />