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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-80-244 <br />INSP]'sCTION DATE 11/2/94 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS JAP, MBL i WY-F <br />O88ERVATIOHB <br />Pre-inspection Conference <br />The Cresson Project Phase 1 heap leach pad, pad #2 drain cover material source area, <br />crusher, :ind upland diversion were inspected during this one day inspection. Jim <br />Pendleton, Mike Long, Bill York-Feirn and John Hardaway of CCSVG commenced the inspection <br />with a cor..ference room discussion of the drain cover material gradation concern. Terry <br />Manziac of Golder Construction Services, the lead QA/QC representative at the site, joined <br />us for a t~~ur of the heap leach pad and the Pad #2 drain cover source area. <br />The initial discussion included the control procedures exercised by the Contractors (Ames <br />& Gundle), the Control Engineer (Bateman), the QA/QC Representatives (Golder), and the <br />Owner (CC&V) in accomplishing the placement and size gradation control of the drain cover <br />material. A notice of probable violation had been written by Gary Curtiss of the Division <br />several days prior. Jim Pendleton presented John Hardaway with a copy of a memorandum he <br />had forwarded to Bruce Humphries the previous day. In that memorandum (see attached) Jim <br />recommended recision of the earlier approval of a specification change dealing with the <br />drain cove[ material size gradation, based upon the failure of CCSVG to properly control <br />the placem~ant and gleaning of oversize material from the drain cover material. Jim stated <br />that without appropriate oversize control, it would not be prudent for the Division to <br />approve th~a use of the material. Jim also expressed concern regarding Golder's ability to <br />certify tha drain cover material which had been placed in their absence. The discussion <br />continued for approximately an hour at which time we commenced our site inspection in <br />order to e:Kamine the materials in question. <br />Heap Leach Pad R1 Drain Cover Material Installation <br />John Hardaway drove Jim, Mike and Bill to the upper south side of the heap leach pad #1 <br />where the drain cover material has been largely placed over the completed geomembrane <br />liner. Terry Manziac met us at the site. During a period of approximately ten minutes <br />the five of us collected approximately 100 oversize cobbles from an area of approximately <br />1/2 acre. These cobbles varied from 2 inches to approximately 12 inches in diameter. Jim <br />Pendleton then informed John Hardaway and Terry Manziac that he was of the opinion that <br />the drain cover material in place on the pad did not appear to correspond to the size <br />gradation characterization provided to the Division in considering the requested <br />specification adjustment. Terry Manziac and Jim Pendleton then completed a walking <br />examination of a larger area of the drain cover material. During their discussion Jim <br />realized that the later daily size gradations performed by Golder, all of which detected <br />no oversiz~a material were intended by Golder to be QC samples of the gleaned material, in <br />order to v~arify that it had been picked to remove oversize. Jim Pendleton also noted that <br />there appeared to be differences in the gradation of the material between local areas of <br />the pad, suggesting variance in the source material. Jim noted particular concern <br />regarding .sn apparent greater proportion of oversize material on the "road" pile of drain <br />cover material near the top of the pad. This area was piled up to 15 feet in thickness to <br />accommodate the trucks carrying the material onto the liner. <br />Jim Pendleton then asked whether it was possible to determine the location of the drain <br />cover material which was placed onto the pad during the period that Gary Curtiss had cited <br />in his reason to believe letter. Jim expressed a concern that this material be examined <br />in order t~~ ensure that an anomalous proportion of oversize wasn't placed above the liner. <br />John Hardaway did not immediately know whether the exact location could be established. <br />He stated chat the period was at most ten minutes in length during which no more than <br />