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July 19, 2017 C-1994-082/Yoast Mine JDM <br /> <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 1 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 0 <br /> <br /> Page 9 of 14 <br /> <br />ROADS – Rule 4.03 Construction 4.03.1(3)/4.03.2(3) Drainage 4.03.1(4)/4.03.2(4) Surfacing and <br />Maintenance4.03.1(5) and (6)/4.03.2(5) and (6) Reclamation 4.03.1(7)/4.03.2(7): <br /> <br />Roads within the lands requested for release include, Road LU2 (Phase III), LU5 (Phase I), and LU4 (Phase I). <br />All roads within the requested release area have been approved for permanent retention. <br /> <br />All roads were stable at the time of the inspection with no problems noted. No rutting or down cutting was evident <br />during the inspection. <br /> <br />RECLAMATION SUCCESS - Rule 4.15, Rule 3: <br /> <br />With regard to meeting the criteria for Phase I bond release, at the time of the inspection the Phase I reclaimed <br />area hillslopes and drainage channel gradients were in compliance in accordance with the Rules and the permit. <br />No evidence of failures or instabilities were identified. The areas have been regraded to blend with the <br />undisturbed areas. No evidence of hillside erosion or erosion of channels was observed. <br /> <br />With regard to the criteria for Phase III bond release, the Phase III requested reclaimed lands showed no evidence <br />of a present or future failure to support the post-mining land use. No erosional features or bare areas were <br />observed within the Phase III bond release areas. No evidence of surface or groundwater impacts were noted at <br />the time of the inspection. Revegetation has been established to support the post-mining land use. <br /> <br />REVEGETATION – Rule 4.15 Vegetative Cover; Timing: <br /> <br />In order to meet the Phase III requirement, the establishment of vegetation was inspected to support the post <br />mining land use of grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetative cover and any observed bare areas were inspected <br />with respect to the post mining land use and the potential for excessive contribution of suspended solids to <br />streamflow outside of the permit area. Species composition was visually evaluated to ensure that predominate <br />species were observed to support the post mining land use. Yoast Mine’s vegetation cover and diversity are <br />acceptable and no problems were noted with revegetation at the time of the inspection. Although noxious or <br />invasive species were noted during the inspection, the species noted did not meet the Division’s definition of an <br />infestation and were sporadic throughout the Phase III release area. The Yoast Mine has permitted six fenced <br />shrub plots in the permit boundary, SP07-2 is the only plot located in the Phase III bond release area with Sage <br />Creek Holdings, LLC as the surface owner. The fenced shrub plots are permitted to remain as permanent features <br />with the shrub plot fences opened to demonstrate the compliance with the post-mining land use. <br />