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October 11, 2002 <br />Oxbow Minim, Inc. <br />P. O. Box 535 <br />Somerset, CO 81434 <br />Sanbom Creek Mine <br />Special focus oversight inspection <br />October 9, 2002 <br />Participants: <br />Kathleen Welt, Oxbow Mining, Inc. <br />Jim Kiger, Oxbow Mining, Inc. <br />Jim Burnell, Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) <br />Henry Austin, Office of Surface Mining (OSM) <br />I participated in a special focus inspection with the above on October 9, 2002. The <br />special focus topics were, Public Participation: Blasting Schedule and Preblast Survey <br />Notification, and Protection of Off-Site Impacts: Hydrologic Balance-Small Area <br />Exemptions. Weather conditions were mild and dry, and ground conditions were dry <br />throughout the areas inspected. Mr. Burnell and I reviewed cunent permit documents <br />at the DMG offices prior to the inspection. <br />We began the inspection with a review of permit documents and blasting notification <br />doaimentation in the mine office. Ms. Welt also gave us an overview of current mine <br />development in the new Elk Creek Mine area, and proposed plans to conclude mining <br />in the Sanborn Creek Mine approx. during the first quarter of 2003. <br />We reviewed the blasting notification documentation from 2002 and 2001. No blasting <br />has occurred in 2002 to date, blasting occurred with the development work for the Elk <br />Creek Mine portals. We reviewed an 8/16/00 newspaper publication of the permittee's <br />blasting schedule. This public notice did not include a provision notifying the reader <br />how to request a preblasting survey of a residence or structure if desired. A separate <br />public notice letter that was not published, which did include the required info. on how <br />to request a preblasting survey was also in the file and reviewed. Ms. Welt indicated <br />that both the above documents were distributed by mail to al] residents of Somerset, <br />and all structure owners and/or residents within one-half mile of the permit boundary <br />prior to the development blasting. The files contain the mailing list to residents and <br />local governments. Ms. Welt noted that no dwellings in Somerset (or anywhere else) <br />were within one-half mile of the blasting site described in the published blasting <br />schedule.; and that no preblast surveys were requested or conducted. One letter in the <br />files on behalf of an absentee homeowner requested additional information on the <br />preblast survey notification, but this did not result in a survey being requested or <br />conducted. <br />