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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1977-208 <br />INSPECTION DATE 02/22/07 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS ESC <br />This was an inspection of the Lyons Quarry conducted by Erica Crosby of the Division of <br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Monica Sowders of CEMEX, Inc. and Alan Notary of Brown <br />and Caldwell were present during the inspection. The purpose of the inspection was to <br />inspect and discuss the current status of the C-Pit and address the concerns noted in the <br />citizen complaint inspection submitted by the St. Vrain Valley Community Watchdogs. <br />The citizen complaint letter received by the Division on January 29, 2007 requested an <br />investigation into the poor quality of water in the C-Pit of the Lyons mine site. The <br />Division has been aware of this situation for a number of years, therefore an <br />investigation is not necessary. Rather the Division updated the St. Vrain Valley <br />community Watchdogs on the history of water in the C-Pit and the current statue of the <br />site in a letter dated March 3, 2007. <br />The source of the water entering the C-Pit comes from direct precipitation, seepage from <br />an upland irrigation ditch located west and south of the pit, and water that is applied to <br />the cement kiln duet (CKD) several times a day to minimize wind blown dispersal. Spray <br />water picks up soluble constituents from the CKD: these include mostly lime (from <br />limestone), chloride (from clays), and sulfate (from gypsum that is added to the process). <br />This solute washes over and through the CKD and into the pond. Due to operational changes, <br />the pool of water in the C-Pit has significantly increased over the years such that a <br />portion of the CKD is underwater. The pool of water in the C-Pit covered up to 7 acres in <br />size at one point and consisted of 100 acre-feet of water. Over the years, CEMEX has <br />reduced the water pool to approximately 3.5 acres by concentrating the CKD disposal in <br />various portions of the pit, backfilling, reuse of the water and through evaporation. <br />Under Technical Revision 04 ("TR-04"), CEMEX revised the water monitoring plan. The <br />monitoring plan includes quarterly sampling of C-Pit and the detection wells for dissolved <br />selenium, dissolved thallium, pH, total dissolved solids, sulfates and chlorides. CEMEX <br />proposed to reduce pH and selenium levels in C-Pit by continuing to pump the water out <br />until the pond reached its minimum depth and steady-state size based on the limitations of <br />the submersible pump. The pumping lowered the water level by approximately four feet <br />until it had to be terminated in August 2005 due to continuing problems with precipitated <br />solids clogging the system and impacting plant operation. <br />Technical Revision 06 ("TR-06") was submitted to the Division in January of 2006 <br />requesting that water from C-Pit be pumped continuously into the spray tower of the cement <br />plant at a higher flow rate while lowering the pH of the water. Technical Revision 07 <br />("TR-07") was submitted to the Division in March of 2006 to addreae a conceptual design <br />and cost estimate for a biological water treatment system to remove selenium from water <br />that has accumulated in the C-Pit. The reclamation bond was increased in additional <br />$735,000.00 to addreae treatment of the water in the C-Pit to ensure reclamation of the <br />pit. <br />In accordance with the approved revisions noted above, CEMEX has until May 17, 2007 to remove <br />or cover the waters in the C-Pit. Based on conversations with CEMEX, it appears that pumping <br />water out of the C-Pit to be used in the spray tower is problematic. Therefore, CEMEX <br />proposes to backfill the pit with shale spoil material from the Lyons quarry and waste shale <br />from the Dowe Flats Quarry. CEMEX estimates approximately 250,0,00- 400,000 cubic yards of <br />material will be necessary to backfill the pit to no longer expose water. CEMEX will monitor <br />the presence of water in the pit and keep fill below levels where existing ponded water could <br />migrate into the surrounding unconsolidated material. <br />CEMEX was actively hauling shale material from stockpiles at the Lyons Quarry and the Dowe <br />Flats Quarry into the C-Pit. The piles at the Lyons Quarry are located east and south of A- <br />Pit and are 1/4 mile and 7/10 mile in travel distance, respectively. The size of the <br />material in the Lyons piles varies from boulders to flaky rocks. The material ie angular and <br />appears to have a high void ratio. Material hauled in from the Dowe Flats Quarry has been <br />blasted and has been crushed to 5" minus. The material is coarse and has been stockpiled in <br />the pit for disposal in the C-Pit. CEMEX will need to ensure that the CKD is covered at all <br />times during the backfilling project and not be subject to wind erosion. <br />