Laserfiche WebLink
l~ <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: <br />INSPECTION DATE: <br />(Page 2) <br /> <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: JCS' <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This inspection was conducted in order to monitor the compliance of the operation with State Statutes, <br />Rules and the conditions of the permit. The permit holder, Superior S&G, was represented by Brent <br />Broekemeier and Ed Conners during the inspection. The site was active at the time of the inspection. <br />Although there were ample signs identifying the site as being operated by the permit holder's subsidiary, <br />the Rio Grande Co., an ID sign meeting the requirements of Rule3.1.2(1) was not in evidence. A sign <br />bearing the permit number was posted in the window of the office structure well away from the entrance to <br />the operation. The sign was difficult to read and the agency issuing the permit was not identified. This is a <br />compliance problem that will be included on page 3 of this report. <br />According to the company representatives, the property on which the operation is located now belongs to <br />the permit holder and is no longer leased, as it was when the permit was first issued. Various fences <br />marking the boundaries of the property as well as those of the permit area were pointed out during the <br />inspection. It appears that the operation is being conducted within the approved permit area. <br />Active mining is now being carried on in the central part of the permit area in the "dewatering area "and is <br />proceeding in a westward direction. This is in conflict with the approved mining plan which outlined a <br />series of tracts, 1 thru 8, which were to be mined in sequence from west to east and would result in the <br />development of a lake, some 40+ acres in size, located along the channel of Sand Creek. In 1998, the post <br />mining land use for the site was changed from "open drainage way (agricultural)", i.e. the lake, to <br />"wetlands" which is to result in both a wetlands area and lake. The wetlands portion of the reclaimed site <br />will occupy some 26 acres in the eastern portion of the permit area and a smaller lake, some 16 or so acres <br />in extent, will be located immediately west. During the inspection, however, the company representatives <br />indicated some intention to change the sizes and locations of the lake and wetlands at the conclusion of the <br />mining, i.e. to have a smaller lake more or less located in the central portion of the permit area and <br />wetlands areas both to the east and west. Since the mining plan being followed is in conflict with that <br />annrnved and the ohiectives of the approved reclamation plan will differ sienificantly in size and location <br />will be suggested that a technical revision or amendment to the permit incorporating these changes be <br />submitted as a corrective action for this compliance problem. <br />There is a sizable amount of woody material piled on site which apparently has resulted from stripping and <br />clearing activities preliminary to mining. The company representative indicated that it was the operator's <br />tentative plan to use this material in the lake as part of the reclamation effort with the purpose of providing <br />fish habitat. If so, that proposal could be added to the other revisions of the reclamation plan to be <br />proposed in the technical revision or amendment described above. <br />Currently, operations at the site consist of transporting material from the "dewatering area" to the vicinity of <br />the screening and washing facility where the sandy material is separated from a silty, clayey matrix and <br />screened into several different sizes. When ambient temperatures allow, the silty, clayey residue is pumped <br />to cells in the northeast part of the permit area. However, at this time, the wash residue is being pumped to <br />one of the several ponds located just west of the "dewatering area." According to TR-01, it is the intention <br />of the operator to use the eastern end of the site for disposal of wash fines to create a series of wetland <br />basins that will drain into the pond at the west end of the site. Water associated with the current disposal is <br />recycled for use through a series of settling and sediment ponds. The level of water in the recycling system <br />is maintained by pumping the water needed from a well located near the westernmost of the series of <br />ponds. <br />I & E Contact Address /~~~. <br />NAME: Mr. Brent Broekemeier l~ ~~~~ <br />OPERATOR: Superior S&G c/o Rio Grande Co. f~ i(3~ --I aZy 2~0 <br />STREET: 201 Santa Fe Dr 1' `T CTt V <br />CITY/STATE/ZIP: Denver C080223 <br />