INSPEC05849

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Date: 3/7/1990
• Doc Name: MINE SITE EVALUATION INSPECTION REPORT
• Inspection Date: 2/22/1990
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

INSPECTION REPORT
it was evident that it was occurring and that all vas not being done
to divert water. Afternoon flows were restricted to the upper part
of the active disposal bench. The lower portion of [hat same bench
received none because of a break in the drainage. Water not being
directed into the diversions was flowing onto a flat on the active
waste disposal bench near the entrance. Some of it puddled on the
pile and rest flowed into the pile itself through established drains.
Evidence of that was noted when the area vas surveyed. Water nn the
pile was ditched via truck operators towards the inslope where waste
joined the surface of the hillside. From there, it funneled to the
interior. Evidence of that was noted because flows were not
accumulating but instead were dropping out of sight. I probed one of
the funnels with my boot and found no evident bottom. Further
evidence of the saturation was noted during the actual survey of the
area, where ever we toed in a reference point on the pile, the
surface was dry but inches below vas always wet.
Interim construction phase cross sections of the waste disposal nn
the active bench called for a two (2) percent grade towards the south
end/interior part of the pile where it meets ground. It appeared as
though that was the case on most of the pile. The pile ie also [o be
graded with positive drainage towards the west. This was not the case
on the day of the inspection. If it had been, much of the pooling
and perhaps even the inflow that was occurring might not have been
noticed. The western third of the bench was graded positively for
drainage but a high spot separated the rest of the area. From the
high spot back towards the entrance to the waste disposal area, much
of the area was almost if not flat.
GENERAL COMMENTS
Work underground is on a three shift basis but shipments of coal are
limited at this time according to company officiais. Some coal is
stockpiled on the ground outside of the silos and in the old "borrow
area" on one of the upper benches but this is because of the quality
of material instead o€ overflow problem with storage. plans are in
the making for acquiring additional space for coal however, because
the company is inquiring about the possibility of buying the two
abandoned silos and rail facility just up the road from the mine that
were once part of the Western Slope Carbon property.
The exhaust fan in Sylvestor Gulch was running during, the inspection
but one at the main portal has been pulled and the other was down.
No mine water discharge was noted at the permitted point in Sylvestor
Gulch. The sediment ponds: MR-fi, MB-5, MA-4, MB-'l, MB-2, MB-1 and
fresh water pond were inspected. Though [he embankments were
snowcovered, they appeared to be stabile and the spillway systems
were functional. The small pond like structure around the pylons for
the river crossing beltline had some water in it but no problem was
noted. Inflows from mining activity and runoff was noted in several
of the ponds, ie, MB-2 and 3 but no discharge was noted. The comment
was made by the state inspection team that the salt bush growing in
some of the spillways and drainages within the system had to be
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