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July 6, 2017 C-1981-022/Elk Creek Mine LDS <br /> <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 0 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 1 <br /> <br /> Page 2 of 11 <br /> <br /> <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 - Availability of Records <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />Y - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />N - Explosives <br />N - Fish & Wildlife <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />R - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />N - Other <br />N - Processing Waste <br /> <br />Y - Roads <br />R - Reclamation Success <br />R - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />N - Slides and Other Damage <br />R - Support Facilities On-site <br />R - Signs and Markers <br />N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br />N - Special Categories Of Mining <br />N - Topsoil <br /> <br /> <br />COMMENTS <br /> <br />This was a complete inspection by Leigh Simmons of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). Doug Smith of Oxbow Mining accompanied the inspection. The weather was hot and dry. The status of <br />the Elk Creek Mine, as far as the Division is concerned, is “Active” however no coal is being mined and all <br />activity at the site is focused on the early stages of reclamation. <br /> <br />AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS – Rule 5.02.4(1): <br /> Records were available at the mine office, details are given at the end of this report. <br /> <br />HYDROLOGIC BALANCE - Rule 4.05 <br />Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, 4.05.6; Discharge Structures 4.05.7, 4.05.10; <br />Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.13; <br />Drainage – Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; Impoundments 4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: <br /> The area had experienced a hot, dry summer up to the time of the inspection. Only pond B was holding a <br />significant amount of water, as a result of backwash from the water treatment plant. <br /> <br />GENERAL MINE PLAN COMPLIANCE: <br /> No revisions are currently in progress, however a mid-term review is overdue. <br /> <br />RECLAMATION SUCCESS - Rule 4.15, Rule 3: <br /> Oxbow has contracted with D&S Underground Inc. of Hotchkiss to complete the reclamation of all pads <br />and roads this summer. Work was well under way, with two operators using a backhoe and a dozer for the earth <br />work, and broadcasting seed by hand at the end of the day. Seed was supplied by Granite Seed of Lehi, UT, with <br />USFS mix 5 used on USFS land and OMLLC mix used on Hotchkiss Ranch land. <br />Himes Drilling Company Inc. of Grand Junction has been contracted to plug and abandon boreholes as <br />necessary, and were expected on site during the week beginning July 10. Himes contractors are also expected to <br />remove the well casing from the pads on Coal Bank.