INSPEC14059

• Permit No: C1981018
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 8/22/2007
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE
Deserado C-1981-018
22 August 2007 ~a~
Page 2/3
Hydrologic Balance {cont.): -Ponds RR-1 and RR-2 were both dry at the time of the
inspection. Both pond embankments were stable and well vegetated. No erosional
problems were noted on either pond embankment.
-The roadside ditches along the mine access road and the haul road to the refuse
pile appeared to be stable and well maintained.
-The ditch from the prep plant bench to Pond DP-1 remained stable at the time of
the inspection. No erosional problems were noted in the ditch.
Processing Waste: -Refuse Pile RP-2/3/4 was well compacted and stable at the time
of the inspection. There were two piles of rock on the west edge of the pile that were
being stored for use elsewhere on the site. No water was pooling on the surface of
the pile and it appeared to be properly graded to allow water to flow to the ponds.
No problems were noted with respect to the pile.
-The Operator, through a contractor, was in the process of spreading and
compacting the stockpiled refuse on pile RP-5a (that is stockpiled over the winter
months). The stockpile is in the same place it always is, on the southeast portion of
the pile. The refuse stockpile appeared to be much smaller than it has been in the
past (which was confirmed by Scott. The contractor was using two farm tractors
each towing two scraper bowls. The scraper bowls were having no problem cutting
into and loading the refuse. In the past, "regular" scrapers have been used and
required adozer-assist to load. There was no support equipment with the operation
this year. The only concern the Division has with this operation is that the farm tractors
and scraper bowls are generally lighter than a scraper so it will be necessary to
ensure that proper compaction of the refuse is being achieved at various points
during the operation. Additionally, given the hot, dry conditions, the operation was
creating some dust as the equipment drives over the refuse and crushes it. It is
necessary to keep a water truck operation at the site to minimize fugitive dust to the
extent possible. Although we did not venture onto the refuse pile because of the
operation, the refuse pile did appear to be well compacted and stable at the time
of the inspection, as indicated by the fact that the tractors and scraper bowls did not
appear to be sinking into the refuse or having traction or rolling resistance related
problems. As the scrapers cut into the refuse, it was still wet, however, no water was
pooling on the surface of the pile at the time of the inspection. The pile was properly
graded to allow water to flow off of the surface of the pile to Pond RP-5. No
erosional or stability problems were observed on RP-5a at the time of the inspection.
Support Facilities: -The loadout structure was stable at the time of the inspections.
No problems were observed. There did not appear to be any commingling of
equipment between the mining and rail operations at the time of the inspection. The
operator was loading a train at the time of the inspection (as an aside, this is the first
time I have seen a train being loaded at the Deserado Mine in more than 30
inspections)