Laserfiche WebLink
August 16, 2023 C-1981-018/Deserado Mine TJ1 <br /> <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 2 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 0 <br /> <br /> Page 2 of 10 <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 />N - Availability of Records <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />N - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />N - Explosives <br />Y - Fish & Wildlife <br />Y - Hydrologic Balance <br />N - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />N - Other <br />Y - Processing Waste <br /> <br />Y - Roads <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />N - Slides and Other Damage <br />N - Support Facilities On-site <br />Y - Signs and Markers <br />N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br />N - Special Categories Of Mining <br />Y - Topsoil <br /> <br /> <br />COMMENTS <br /> <br />This report documents the observations made by the Division during a Coal Partial Inspection of the Deserado <br />Mine on August 16, 2023. The inspection was completed by Todd Jesse of the Division. Kurt Blunt represented <br />Blue Mountain Energy during the inspection. The weather was mostly sunny with temperatures around 80 <br />degrees F. The ground conditions are dry. <br /> <br />FISH and WILDLIFE – Rule 4.18: <br /> <br />There was a large number of song birds and 4-5 juvenile ducks in and around the Last Chance Ponds. Signs of <br />deer were also observed near the outlet for DP-1. <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 /> <br />Ponds PP-1, PP-2, and DP-1 are within the facilities area of the mine site. Pond PP-2 (Photo 1) had a large amount <br />of algae and was bright green in color. The embankment that creates the pond appears stable. There were no signs <br />of erosion, cracking, displacement or animal burrows. The embankment is covered in vegetation, but no seeps or <br />particularly green areas of vegetation were noted. The PP-1 Pond (Photo 2) is located beneath conveyors in the <br />processing area of the permit. The pond is a depression and has no berm. The pond is holding water and sediment <br />levels in the pond are low enough to allow adequate storage capacity. Pond DP-1 was discharging at the time of <br />the inspection. The embankment of the pond (Photo 3) is stable with no signs of erosion, displacement, slumping, <br />animal burrows, or other signs of instability. Cattails are growing around the outlet, but mine staff is diligent when <br />it comes to cleaning them and ensuring that the outlet remains unobstructed. The mine still plans to muck out this <br />pond before the snow comes. They are currently looking for a long arm excavator to clean the ponds. Muck will be <br />placed on the refuse piles.