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PERMIT#:M-2003-074 <br /> INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: MAC <br /> INSPECTION DATE:August 15,2016 <br /> OBSERVATIONS <br /> The inspection was conducted by Michael Cunningham of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br /> (Division). The Division attempted to contact Mr. Mark Balderston, the Operator, to schedule the inspection. <br /> However, Mr. Balderston's telephone number on record was not current.The Rock-N-Pine operation is <br /> located just northwest of Fairplay, alongside State Highway 9, between the highway and the Middle Fork of <br /> the South Platte River. The operation is permitted for 9.9 acres and the commodity of interest is sand and <br /> gravel. <br /> The Division received a citizen complaint on August 2, 2016 alleging that barrels of hazardous waste are being <br /> stored on site. The complainant further alleged the contents of the barrels had spilled onto the ground surface <br /> and the Operator had covered up spills by using a front end loader to cover up the contaminated areas. A copy <br /> of the complaint letter was mailed to the Operator on August 4, 2016. <br /> The Rock-N-Pine operation was not active at the time of the inspection and the Operator does not have a <br /> continuous presence at the site. According to the Annual Reports, the site was last active in 2015. Pursuant to <br /> Rule 1.13.5(1), if an Operator plans to, or does, temporarily cease production of the mining operation for 180 <br /> days or more, the Operator must file a Notice of Temporary Cessation. This matter has been cited as a <br /> problem and will require corrective action; please see the first page of this report for additional information. <br /> Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan: <br /> The Division did not observe any evidence of recent mining activity at the site. The equipment at the site <br /> includes a screening plant, a tractor trailer with a "Radioactive" placard on the side door, a water tanker and a <br /> generator. In addition, there is a mobile trailer which may have been used as an office or temporary residence. <br /> In addition, the site contains a substantial amount of refuse. The Division observed several dozen old tires of <br /> various sizes, power washers, lawn mowers, bikes, scrap metal, car batteries and general household trash. The <br /> presence of refuse at the site has been cited as a problem and the Operator will be required to remove all <br /> refuse from the site by the corrective action date. Failure to remove the refuse will result in an adjustment to <br /> the financial warranty to account for removal of the refuse and disposal at a landfill; please see the first page <br /> of this report for additional information. <br /> The Operator is storing a dozen 55 gallon drums at the mine. Several of the 55 gallon drums are located on a <br /> trailer and the others are lying on the ground.The barrels are unlabeled and the contents could not be <br /> determined. In addition, the Division observed numerous 5 gallon containers of hydraulic oil. The containers <br /> are currently located within 20 feet of the Middle Fork of the South Platte River. All chemicals and petroleum <br /> products must be labeled and stored off the ground in an upright position and shall be located as far from the <br /> river as site conditions allow. This has been cited as a problem and will require corrective action by the <br /> Operator; please see the first page of this report for additional information. The petroleum products the <br /> Operator is storing at the mine are typically present at any mine site with heavy equipment and are not <br /> considered to be hazardous waste. The Division did not observe any significant staining of the ground surface <br /> which would have indicated that petroleum products have been dumped on the ground. <br /> Page 3 of 7 <br />