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October 26, 2016 C-1982-057/Seneca II-W Mine JHB <br /> <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 2 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 2 <br /> <br /> Page 4 of 11 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />ROADS – Rule 4.03 <br />Construction 4.03.1(3)/4.03.2(3) <br />Drainage 4.03.1(4)/4.03.2(4) <br />Surfacing and Maintenance4.03.1(5) and (6)/4.03.2(5) and (6) <br />Reclamation 4.03.1(7)/4.03.2(7): <br /> Access roads were dry and in good condition during the inspection. One gate was locked on ridgeline <br />road that the operator did not have the combination to. Another lock was found opened and trampled in the mud at <br />this gate location. Generally if access is needed by multiple entities, landowners, lessees, mine operator, locks are <br />locked together in a chain so all will access rights are not locked out. SPL needs to locate the owner of the current <br />lock and gain access. The area can be accessed by driving around to Access road A and then back-tracking, which <br />defeats the purpose of a gate. <br /> <br />Ditches alongside the access roads are in good condition and able to pass designed flows. <br /> <br />REVEGETATION – Rule 4.15 <br />Vegetative Cover; Timing: <br /> The vegetation throughout the mine site has dried down. Noxious weeds that were sprayed earlier in the <br />growing season have turned brown. Evaluation in the spring will demonstrate the effectiveness of spraying. <br /> <br />Although the operator did not allow livestock grazing on the reclaimed areas they have surface leases for, T5N <br />R88W, Section 10 and portions of Section 9, owned by Salt River Project, were leased to a third party for cattle <br />grazing. Although this property was within the permit area boundary, and the third party would have observed the <br />permit area signage, the operator was not notified prior to the cattle being put on the reclaimed area. The Cattle <br />had not been on the property at the last DRMS inspection on 9/9/2016, and they were not on the property during <br />this inspection 10/26/2016. The area had been heavily grazed. However, it appears that the root crowns were not <br />damaged, and the Division anticipates the area should recover in the Spring if no additional grazing is conducted <br />prior to next growing season. The operator will need to report the number of animals (or AUMs) and grazing <br />duration in the 2016 Annual Reclamation Report. <br /> <br />The vegetation throughout the rest of the reclaimed areas is looking good. The site is very dry and the area has not <br />received the normal late fall precipitation events. <br /> <br />SLIDES and DAMAGE: - Rule 4.12: <br /> The South of Pond 006 slump is dry and does not appear to have moved any further. SPL has indicated <br />that they have a geotechnical firm evaluating the slump. The Division has not received any reports or revisions <br />regarding mitigation of the slump prior to winter snow pack. <br /> <br />SIGNS AND MARKERS – Rule 4.02: