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Introduction <br />This document presents the results of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and <br />Safety's 2015 Midterm Review (MT -07) for the North Thompson Creek Mines permit. This <br />Midterm Review was conducted to fulfill the requirements of Rules 2.08.3, 2.06.2(10), 2.06.3(4), <br />2.06.5(2), 2.06.7(5) and 3.02(4). <br />Rule 2.08.3 requires that the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) <br />conduct a review of each permit issued, prior to its midterm. Based on this review, for good <br />cause shown, the Division may require reasonable revisions or modifications of the permit <br />provisions to ensure compliance with the Act and Regulation (Rule). No items have been <br />identified for revision or modification to the Permit Application Package. <br />Rules 2.06.2, 2.06.3, 2.06.5 and 2.06.7 require that experimental practices, mountaintop removal <br />variances, variances from approximate original contour (AOC), and variances from <br />contemporaneous reclamation, respectively, be reviewed by the Division where applicable <br />during the Midterm Review. <br />Rule 3.02.2(4) requires that the Division review the amount of the bond and the terms of <br />acceptance of the bond every 2 '/2 years. <br />This Midterm Review consists of a review of the North Thompson Creek Mines permit <br />application and Findings Document to identify items that may have been overlooked during the <br />initial review. The Division also reviewed all subsequent revisions and stipulation responses to <br />ensure that all permit commitments and conditions were being followed. Problems and <br />observations from past inspection reports were also considered as a part of this review. <br />I — HISTORY <br />On 15 August 1983, the Snowmass Coal Company was issued a Colorado permanent program <br />Mining Permit, Permit No. C-025-81, for the North Thompson Creek Mines. Features and <br />elements of the existing mine that were to be used during subsequent operations and reclamation <br />were incorporated into the permit. The Permit was subsequently renumbered to Permit No. C-81- <br />025. This permit was for a five-year term. The Division renewed this permit for a subsequent <br />five-year term on 16 August 1988. The 1988 permit was transferred to MINREC, Inc. <br />(permittee), in 1990. The Division again renewed the permit for five-year terms on 15 August <br />1993, 15 August 1998, 28 July 2003, 12 May 2009 and 7 October 2013. This most recent five- <br />year -term Permit, hereafter referred to as the permit, expires on 15 August 2018. <br />The North Thompson Creek Mines are inactive. They were mined from 1911 to 1964. The <br />Snowmass Coal Company mined the site from 1971 to 1984. Mining ceased, and reclamation of <br />the site was initiated, in 1986. <br />The mines are located on federal and private lands about seven miles southwest of Carbondale, <br />within Pitkin County, Colorado. There were two portal areas, Portal 1 located to the south of <br />County Road 108 and North Thompson Creek, Portal 3 located to the north of County Road 108. <br />North Thompson Creek Mines C-1981-025 <br />2015 Midterm Review (MT -07) -2- 31 December 2015 <br />