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• (Page 21 • MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-96-031 INSPECTION DATE 7.23-98 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS ~ OBSERVATIONS This was apre-operational inspection of the proposed permit expansion area for the Weimer No. 2 Pit conversion to a 112 permit. The conversion addresses the addition of 10.67 acres to the current 9.9 acre permit area, resulting in a 20.57 acre permit area. The site was accessed by the road which was upgraded far this operations access and haul road. The proposed expansion area is typified by a sagebrush flat and hill slope with no permanent manmade structures located within 200 feet of the proposed boundaries. The multiple corners of the proposed expansion area were marked with lath and surveyor's tape. Topographic relief includes a sidehill which slopes into a drainage which originates as a Swale in the original 110 permit area. The proposed permit boundary terminates approximately 10 - 15 feet from the bottom of the drainage to prevent excavation in the watercourse. A Swale crosses the proposed expansion area and access road and terminates in the aforementioned drainage. The operator will need to ensure the reclamation plan addresses reconstruction of the drainage. The top of this drainage is cut off by the haul road which acts as a dam to collect runoff for stack watering. The same condition exists in the Swale on the original 110 permit area. As with the original permit area, vegetation is typified by big sagebrush, rubber rabbitbrush, blue grams, and Indian ricegrass. Vegetative cover is roughly estimated at 40 - 50 percent. The access road has not been included in the permit area. During original permitting of this site the applicant was informed that a road installed or upgraded specifically for use as art access road for the pit would need to be included in the permit area. The applicant stated that the surface property owner had already approached the county for approval to build a road here for his use to haul water to the site for livestock. The site is apparently used far a livestock wintering ground. The applicant was notified that a letter from the landowner to this effect, stating that the road is to remain as a permanent feature after mining, to be used for this purpose, would need to be submitted to the Division, and that without this letter, the road must be included within the proposed permit area and financial warranty for reclamation of the road must be included in the reclamation bond. The applicant hand delivered, during this inspection, an attempt at a letter of this type from the landowner. However, the letter is non-specific about which road it refers to and doesn't indicate why such a significant road is necessary for hauling water to cattle. The applicant also delivered a BLM right-of- way grant/temporary use permit, No. COC-58461 which addresses the portion of the access road that crosses BLM surface lands. Unfortunately, the permit is not signed by the BLM and is therefore not acceptable as reason to believe the access road can be a permanem feature. Additionally, the BLM permit, if signed, is only a temporary permit. If the BLM does not indicate that this road can remain as a permanent feature, then the entire road must be included in the permit area. The reclamation plan and financial warranty would also have to include provisions for reclamation of the road. The site has a significant layer of eoliths that the operator will need to make provisions for isolating and burying in the revised mining and reclamation plans. Special concern should be placed on prevention of mixing the eoliths with the topsoil that is slated for replacement at reclamation. I & E Contact Address NAME Lee Sutherland OPERATOR Sutherland Brothers. Inc. STREET P.O. Box 126 CITY/STATE/ZIP Nucla. Colorado 81424 cc: Tom Gillis, DMG ^ CE X BL -Donna Knox -Montrose Office ^ FS ^ HW ^ HMWMD ICH) ^ SE ^ WOCD ICHI ^ OTHER