2017-02-27_INSPECTION - C1980007

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February 14, 2017 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine LDS Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 5 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 Page 3 of 15 SLIDES and DAMAGE - Rule 4.12: MCC noticed some cracking along the northern side of the Material Storage Bench (MSB), west of the area that was repaired last year, and notified the Division on February 8, 2017. Materials that had been stored in that area were moved to the south side of the MSB. Snow was removed from the northern out-slope, a power pole was removed from the bench, and pad and fill material was excavated. No work was taking place on the MSB at the time of the inspection. The excavated material had been removed from the pad and the exposed fill had been protected from future runoff with an earth berm, and was being left to dry. A small temporary culvert had been placed so as to aid draining of the area. There were visible cracks on the bench surface that had not yet been excavated, running west from the excavated area towards a power pole. Cracks were not obvious on the out-slope, but from above it appeared as though there may be a bulge in the slope. A small surface slump had occurred on the embankment below the road to the RPEE, above the east end of the RPEE pond. It was being drained from above, but the area was far too wet to allow any action to be taken. Small amounts of material had sloughed off the hillside above the road as well. Although the scale of the land movement above the road was much smaller, the fallen rocks and soil have the potential to block the roadside ditch. A small slump had occurred near the outlet to culvert C5E-25, at the base of the east-facing slope of the reclaimed LRP. A wet area had been observed in the area in years past, but recent heavy snow and rain has apparently caused increased infiltration into nearby alluvial deposits and has emerged from the slump area as a water flow. The operator plans to remove the slumped material and backfill it with rock to allow the area to drain should the water flow occur again. SUPPORT FACILITIES - Rule 4.04: The project to bury water pipe along the side of the MB5E ponds had been completed. DOCUMENTS RECEIVED The 2016 ARR was hand delivered. OTHER (SPECIFY) N/A ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS/COMPLIANCE No enforcement actions were initiated as a result of this inspection, nor are any pending.