INSPEC13590

• Permit No: M1976059
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: MINERALS PROGRAM INSPECTION REPORT
• Inspection Date: 2/9/2000
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

(Page 2)
MINE ID i! OR PROSPECTING ID It M-1976-059
INSPECTION DATE 219100 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO
OBSERVATIONS
This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of 112 Construction Materials permits. The operator
was contacted about the inspection and a time was arranged to meet at the operator's office and proceed jointly to the
site for the inspection. The operator's representative named on page one waS present throughout the inspection.
The site is identified by a permit ID sign posted at the entrance to the pit. The permit boundaries are marked by perimeter
marker signs pasted on metal posts at all boundary corners.
This site produces sandstone. The site has been mined from south to north on two main levels. The reclamation plan is
to produce level areas for acommercial/industrial post-mining land use. The level benches present on the site are currently
used for (industrial) storage of Nielson's construction equipment. The surfaces of the benches are sandy and exhibit no
water impoundment. There are no fuel or fluid storage vessels which ate kept filled on the site, and there is no apparent
soil contamination. The levelled areas with this sandy and gravelly surface, used as storage yard, are essentially reclaimed.
The lower bench on the south edge and the upper bench to the north each have adequate stormwater controls. Water
either percolates into the pad surfaces or runs off to sediment control structures on the site. There is little to no sign of
erosion, and no evidence of off site transport of sediment.
The upper pad to the north has a solid rock highwall on its north edge, averaging about 15 feet in height. Mining begins
with the blasting of this material. About a half acre of such blasted material is currently present along this north highwall.
The reclamation plan allows for leaving fairly steep highwalls of sandstone, separated by a narrow bench. The upper
highwall may be moved a bit farther north toward the permit boundary, as future mining progresses. It apprears that this
recent blasting of material was not performed after first the stripping topsoil.
Besides the stockpile of blasted rock, there are only a couple small product stockpiles on the site. One small pile is in the
middle of the lower pad, consisting of recently stripped vegetation and soil, possibly from an area offsite. All indications
are that this material has been placed here only temporarily.
Some salvaged topsoil is being stockpiled along the top of the upper highwall, presumably to be spread on graded slopes
(not stone highwalls or industrial areas). There appears to be sufficient topsoil for the present amount of surfaces to
topsoil. There is no soil degradation due to erosion or noxious weeds.
The highwall between the two benches is also main{y a solid rock face along most of its length, and averages about 15
to 20 feet high. A portion of it is a slope, located at the western end of the benches, and does not consist of consolidated
sandstone material, but rather decomposed or blasted fine to angular-chunky material. It has been dozed down to a
temporarily stable slope, but is not regarded by this inspector to be in a final reclaimed configuration. The extreme western
end of the upper bench is a narrow area which may not be suitable to mine. Its surface has been stripped, but is not
smooth. It also is regarded to be in a temporary condition. If the upper bench area is reduced as mining the lower highwall
progresses northward, this slope feature and rough bench surface may be eliminated. If no further mining of the lower
highwall is to occur, this slope and western end of the bench should be given final reclamation treatment.
The western permit boundary lies on the natural slopes and outcrops of the canyon. The operator has been careful in
avoiding disturbances to the slope.
The annual report map includes some current features sketched onto a base dating from several years ago. Though the
updated portion is adequate, the map would be more useful it obsolete features were not depicted. This item is not noted
herein as a problem, but is noted simply for the operator's information.
The site is free of noxious weeds and construction or mining-related debris. Equipment is stored in an orderly fashion.
There were no further items observed and no problems noted at this time. For all questions or responses to this report,
please contact this inspector at the following address or phone: 701 Camino del Rio, Room 125, Durango CO 81301;
tel [phone] or fax [phone].
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