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(Page 2) MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1977-144 INSPECTION DATE 8/28/06 OBSERVATIONS INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of Construction Materials 112c permits. The operator was contacted about the scheduled inspection, but was not present during the inspection. The site has been active recently, but there was no personnel and no activity on the day of the inspection. The site has a posted permit ID sign at the locked gate. However, there was only one permit boundary marker visible (in the trees on the south side of the entry road, between the gate and the crusher). This permit is large and irregularly-shaped, with several separate areas of activity, and includes rough terrain and brush and timberthat may easily obscure the markers. There may becorrectly-located markers at all corners and possibly elsewhere along the boundary, but they are not easily seen. The lack of sufficient markers is noted as a problem in this report. The correction of this problem wioll be for the operator to place markers sufficient to adequately delineate the boundary of the permit. See the last page of this report for the correction date. The site contains several distinct, separate areas of operation. The "hill" in the western portion of the site, a large granitic outcrop, is being mined on its SE side, resulting in numerous vertical highwalls and benches. It has been mined down such that it has produced a couple of small ponds, with no outlet for the water. They have a combined water surface of about a half acre, and average depth of about 6 feet, which is a significant amount of water. There is no pond approved in the permit's mining or reclamation plans. The presence of the ponds is noted as a problem in this report, which the operator must correct by either (1) eliminating the pond by backfillinq it, or (2) providing evidence of approval from the Colorado Division of Water Resources or Water Court. to have the pond. See the last page for the correction date. (Note: Until this problem is corrected the costs for backfillinq the pond must be included in the reclamation bond.) There are many past photos provided by the operator of the areas of activity in this permit file, but there is no current, adequate map. A current map is required for annual reports and for this office to assess the reclamation costs. The lack of the map is noted as a problem in this report, and the operator must correct this deficiency by providing one bvthe correction date. See the last pope for the correction date. There are many acres of past disturbance under this permit, most of which, though geotechnically stable, have not been adequately maintained. No areas have been reclaimed according to the approved reclamation plan. As such, though erosion and conditions for slope failure are minimized, there are many acres which have been allowed to become infested with diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa), aState-listed noxious weed which must be controlled. There are lesser amounts of bull thistle (Cirsium vulgate), another listed noxious weed to be controlled. The operator stated that weed control has been carried out in the past, but the treatments have lapsed and the site is infested. The noxious weeds are noted as a problem in this report. which must be corrected by the operator submitting an updated, effective weed control plan with the written commitment to implement it beginning during the first appropriate season and continuing it until the weeds are controlled. The new plan and commitment must be received by the correction date. shown on the last Pape of this report. (Note: Until the weeds are under control, the weed control costs will be included in the reclamation bond.) There are several large benches onsite, placed long enough ago to be well vegetated, consisting of fines or overburden, which are presumed to be stockpiled for later use as a growth medium in reclamation. These should appear labeled on the upcoming map. The processing area onsite includes a diesel tank on a trailer, generator trailer, crusher, dozer, hopper and stackers. The site is clean, and the fuel tank is empty. The operator should be aware that all future fuel storage onsite, even in a portable tank, must include impermeable secondary containment. This is not a problem at this time. There are also numerous large stockpiles of various products to be removed from the site, as well as various types of "pitrun" from the several areas of operation here. There is an explosives storage area that is well marked and separate from other areas onsite. It is not known if the magazines contain anything. The bond amount of $38,002 has not been recalculated in several years. This office must review it in light of current costs and the additional work that must be performed currently. New figures will be forwarded to the operator. The operator is reminded that maintaining the site and pertorming reclamation as promptly as possible in areas that wil not be redisturbed may help keep the bond lower, but must also be adequately reported to this office. No further items were observed during the inspection. Responses to this inspection report should be directed to the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, 701 Camino del Rio, Room 125, Durango, Colorado 81301, Attn: Bob Oswald; phone no. 970- 247-5193.