Laserfiche WebLink
• • (Page 31 <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID Jf M-79-094fiR <br />INSPECTION DATE 2/21/97 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS WHE <br />arc. Highwall benches appeared to be spaced at 60' intervals and approximately 20' wide, resulting in <br />approximately 0.3H:1 V slope. Reclamation Plan requires highwall to be reclaimed to 2H:1 V slope with <br />vegetated benches. Highwall had slumped at two locations along the south side of the open pit. Highwall <br />slump extended from crest of highwall to pit floor. Evidence of highwall instability was not observed for <br />remaining sections of highwall. <br />Mine Plan states that overburden for Phase 1, and portions of Phase 2 areas, would be permanently <br />stockpiled at the waste pile. Overburden stockpiled at the waste pile is not utilized for reclamation <br />backfilling. Overburden from successive mining phases would be utilized to backfill the previous pit floor <br />to 4H:1 V slope. Records indicate that 10 - 12 million cy of material has been stockpiled at the waste pile. <br />Waste pile affected area appeared to be approximately 60 acres. <br />EXCESS OVERBURDEN - On 2/28/97, DMG received call from Dave Munger from the Cotter Corporation <br />office in Lakewood. Mr. Munger stated that Department of Energy Uranium Tailings Disposal Project needed <br />approximately 100,000 cy fill material and inquired whether Cotter could provide material from the JD-7 <br />overburden stockpile for DOE purposes. Mr. Munger stated that material would be removed from the top <br />of the waste pile and would not affect the encapsulated low grade ore, disposed at the NW toe of the waste <br />pile. <br />The primary function of permit no. M-79-094-HR is to produce uranium ore and reclaim affected areas to a <br />beneficial land use. Sale of mined material is an appropriate function of permitted mining operations. DMG <br />finds that sale of excess overburden is a proper activity for permit no. M-79-094-HRand, in fact, maximizes <br />economic development and conservation of the state's natural resources. <br />However, DMG has two concerns regarding sale of excess overburden from the JD-7 waste pile. <br />1. DMG definition of "excess overburden" is limited to excavated material not required for reclamation <br />purposes, and does not include low grade uranium ore or soils clean-up materials from the Whitewater <br />Sampling Plant facility, pq6 <br />Additionally, removal of excess overburden shall not affect the encapsulated materials, from the <br />Whitewater Sampling Plant facility, disposed at the NW toe of the waste pile. <br />2. Original Mining and Reclamation Plans anticipated backfilling of the existing pit floor to 4H:1 V slope, <br />utilizing overburden from ongoing excavations. Mining operations were temporarily ceased due to <br />depressed uranium prices. If uranium prices do not improve sufficiently to allow reactivation of <br />operations, the volumes of overburden originally anticipated may not be available to complete final <br />reclamation in accordance with permit conditions and the Act. Please ensure that sufficient material <br />remains available for completion of the Reclamation Plan. <br />I & E Contact Address cc: Steve Shuey, DMG <br />^ CE <br />NAME Robert E. Schwind ^ BL <br />OPERATOR Cotter Corporation ^ FS <br />STREET P.O. Box 700 ^ HW <br />CITY/STATE/ZIP Nucla, CO 87424 ^ HMWMD (CH) <br />^ SE <br />^ WOCD ICHI <br />^ Dave Munger, Cotter Corp. <br />