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NARRATIVE INSPECTION REPORT <br />INSPECTION DATE: November 18, 1992 <br />MINE: North Thompson Creek (Underground, Federal -- located in <br />Garfield and Pitkin Counties) <br />PERMIT NO.: C-B1-025 <br />COMPANY: MINREC, Inc. <br />2768 Compass Drive (c/o Jim Stover) <br />Grand Junction, CO 81506 <br />INDIVIDUALS PRESENT DURING INSPECTION: <br />Larry Routten, Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology <br />Dennis Byrnes, OSM, Albuquerque Field Office <br />INSPECTION TYPE: Complete, Joint, Random Sample <br />WEATHER: Cold, overcast, intermittently snowing <br />GROUND CONDITIONS: Most areas covered with 6 to 10 inches of snow from <br />previous storms, remainder of area comprised of <br />frozen soils or thawed and muddy soils. <br />GENERAL COMMENTS: <br />The minesite and loadout area have been reclaimed since 1987, and <br />a Phase I bond release was granted in March of 1988. Since then, the <br />mines have flooded and acid water discharge became a problem, <br />particularly from the Mine (fl portal. The backfilled portal was dug out <br />after May of 1988 for access and installation of various treatment <br />systems; the current, and apparently successful, treatment consists of <br />a series of aeration and retention (precipitation settling) ponds <br />described later in this report. A Phase II release has not yet been <br />requested. Revegetation currently may meet required cover standards <br />for a Phase II release. The State has indicated that diversity <br />requirements may be more difficult to attain. <br />FIELD REVIEW: <br />Signs 6 Markers --- required signs and markers were properly posted, <br />including perimeter markers and signed topsoil stockpiles. <br />Hydrologic System --- three sediment ponds (ponds P-3, P-9, and the <br />refuse area pond) control the reclaimed minesite. They were maintained <br />and featured primary discharge structures and emergency spillways; <br />none were discharging. <br />Details of the minesite's surface ditch collector and diversion <br />system could not be completely ascertained beneath the snow cover, but <br />the overall system appeared to be functional and maintained. <br />A maintained series of six dug-out ponds (P-1, P-2, P-9, P-5, P-6, <br />and P-7) certified in 1984 lines the upslope margin of the haulroad; <br />these serve as "energy dissipators" protecting the haulroad embankment <br />from the velocities of undisturbed area runoff from the hills and <br />broken terrain above. Sediment collected in these ponds consists <br />largely of shaley materials from these hills and the road cut-banks. <br />Material hauled out of P-5, as per recent Technical Revision TR-13, <br />was being used to build up the embankment o£ the "long-pond" installed <br />as part of Mine ql's discharge treatment system. <br />`t of ~ <br />