Laserfiche WebLink
<br />June 5, 2006 <br />Energy Fuels, Inc. <br />115 East Main <br />Florence, CO 81226 <br />Southfield Mine <br />June 1, 2006, Complete oversight inspection <br />Participants: <br />George Patterson, Energy Fuels, Inc. <br />Kent Gorham. Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) <br />Henry Austin, Office of Surface Mining (OSM) <br />I participated in a complete, joint, oversight inspection of the Southfield Mine as indicated <br />above. This mine was selected for inspection during 2006 by the joint DMG / OSM Oversight <br />Team. Weather conditions were hot and dry, with only minimal evidence (at the former coal <br />loadout primarily) of any recent precipitation, and as a result ground conditions were very dry. <br />The primary purpose of this inspection was to evaluate offsite impacts. <br />Mr. Gorham conducted a thorough review of permitting, and environmental monitoring records <br />at the mine office prior to our field inspection. The review included the following: DMG permit <br />renewal No. 4 was approved September 10, 2004, and the current permit expires July 30, 2009. <br />The bond amount is $380,431. Bond release action SL-2 was approved Apri128, 2003. Liability <br />insurance is in effect through October 1, 2006. Surface and ground water monitoring required by <br />DMG is current, as are NPDES / DMR reporting requirements. Subsidence monitoring was <br />terminated with DMG approval in 2003, and no subsidence issues were noted or discussed. <br />We reviewed the May 18, 2006, sediment pond inspections; and briefly reviewed the 2005 <br />Annual Hydrology Report. This concluded our records review with no problems noted. <br />We began the field inspection at the reclaimed former coal loadout area. Three years remain at <br />the loadout to complete the 10 year liability period. Two sediment ponds remain at the loadout, <br />they are oversized ponds and do not have a discharge history. The ponds were dry and stable. <br />Vegetation is becoming established throughout the reclaimed area, and slopes appear stable with <br />very little evidence of erosion. A prairie dog town has become established within and adjacent to <br />the reclaimed area. This concluded our inspection at the loadout. <br />We inspected the reclamation at the former mine facility area. Ground conditions here were <br />extremely dry. Reclamation was completed here in 2003, and seeded October 2003 (Spring 2004 <br />is considered the first growing season due to Fall planting and we discussed this). The first <br />vegetation sampling is required 3 years after "vegetation establishment" and we discussed that <br />this sampling is required during the 2007 growing season. <br />