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portals area. BCC constructed facilities for the operation of the mine. A sediment control system was built, comprised of a sediment pond, culverts, ditches and a flood control berm along the river. A mine office/bathhouse, shop, two warehouses and a substation with transformer and powerlines were constructed on the level facilities area. On the steep hillside where the Bear No. 3 portals were located, a ventilation fan was positioned at the east portal. Also on the hillslope, a conveyor system brought coal down to the facilities azea, where a stacker tube for the stockpiling of coal was located. Two light use roads led from the portal access road to the conveyor. A reclaim tunnel under the coal stockpile was used to bring coal up from the coal stockpile to a loadout bin for the loading of coal haul trucks. An above-ground fuel facility was also constructed on the facilities area. Certain zones of the facilities azea were designated for the temporary placement of non-coal waste, coal waste material, topsoil and mine equipment. There was no permanent storage of coal waste on site. Rather, the coal waste was permanently stored in the coal waste pile at the Sanborn Creek Mine. After construction of the Bear No. 3 Mine facilities was completed, mining in the C-seam progressed until reserves in that coal seam were exhausted. After the reserves in the C-seam were mined out, BCC then ramped down from the C seam workings to the B-seam coal. This ramp entered the B-seam at a point approximately 300 feet south of the southernmost extent of the Edwards/Clazk Mine B seam workings. This meant that a barrier of 300 feet of coal was left in place between the Bear No. 3 Mine B seam workings and the Edwards/Clazk Mine B seam workings. Mining then progressed in the B seam, with panels essentially directly below the Bear No. 3 Mine C seam panels. With most of the B seam coal reserves already mined out, BCC decided to close the Bear No. 3 Mine when a large cave-in made further mining uneconomical. Permanent seals were installed at various points in the Bear No. 3 Mine B seam mine workings. On November 11, 1996, BCC permanently ceased all mining operations at the Bear No. 3 Mine due to geologic conditions encountered throughout the mine. The status of the Bear No. 3 Mine became "inactive." All three C seam portals at the Bear No. 3 Mine were sealed on January 9, 1997. Drainage pipes were installed through each of the portal seals so that mine water would not build up behind the portal seals. During 1997, the two warehouses and shop building, mine fan, portal bench transfers, conveyor structure, stacking tube, substation and miscellaneous mine equipment and debris were removed. The mine office building, paved access road, bridge and fence remain as approved in the permit. The Bear No. 3 portals were backfilled according to Mine Safety and Health Administration requirements, and the mine benches and bench access roads were backfilled and regraded during June and July of 1997. The facilities bench was regraded and topsoiled in 1998. The disturbed azea was, then, reseeded, also in 1998. A sedimentation pond with one collection ditch and one culvert and a spring water treatment pond remain on site. The approved post mining land use is limited residential and undeveloped land. There aze three phenomena occurring at the Beaz No. 3 Mine that aze important considerations. First, there is evidence of a mine fire at this site. After observations of smoke/steam and the odor of smoldering coal, the Division had requested that the Colorado Inactive Mines Program (IMP) investigate this matter. In October of 2003, Steve Renner of the IMP visited the site and found evidence of a mine fire in the immediate vicinity of the reclaimed Beaz No. 3 portal bench and portals. A copy of Steve Renner's memo is attached to this inspection report. As discussed later in this inspection report, there is a possibility that this mine fire may be affecting the stability of the reclamation work. It is a public safety concern as well. 3