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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1977-348 <br />INSPECTION DATE November 22. 2005 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS CBM <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was an inspection conducted at the request of the operator to determine progress of reclamation activities. Attending the <br />inspection were Carl Mount of the Division of Minerals and Geology, Gordon Benton of Holcim, Kallie Bauer and Bill <br />Schenderlein of Applegate Group (consultant to Holcim). <br />Acreage Release AR-01 has been approved as of October 25, 2005. The official acreage release letter will be sent shortly <br />following confirmation of the number of acres to remain in the permit area. In the meantime, Holcim is continuing to reclaim the <br />rest of the affected land within the permit area. Same limited pre-law area spoil piles are being used for growth medium on <br />some post law material disposal areas. These areas include the plant burial site in former pit A-1 and the cement kiln dust <br />disposal area (also in Pit A-1). <br />During the inspection the angle of repose slopes just west of the Windsor Reservoir and Canal Company Ditch (which bounds <br />part of the southernmost permit area near the cement plant site) were discussed. Although some of these slopes appear to be <br />vegetated sufficiently to pass bond release criteria, Holcim is still considering reducing these slopes to 2H:1 V or less steep and <br />revegetating them. The operator could define these areas and change the reclamation plan for these areas only to allow <br />leaving the angle of repose slopes, however, the operator could also follow the present reclamation plan and flatten and <br />revegetate the slopes. <br />Reclamation on other areas of the mine is proceeding well. The inspection proceeded from south to north and almost all areas <br />of the permit were viewed. At the Plant Burial site in Pit A-1, the operator is using pre-law material as final cover for the building <br />materials that were disposed in the bottom of the pit as approved in the reclamation plan. The operator still needs to establish <br />2H:1V slopes on the south fill in this pit and reducing the highwall just to the east of this fill was discussed as a possible <br />alternative for fill material. To the north of this fill area, the operator still needs to get rid of product material that will be hauled <br />to the Florence plant in southern Colorado. After getting rid of this material, the operator is contemplating using pre-law fill just <br />to the west of this area. It was unclear what the disposition of the power lines in this area was and this needs to be investigated <br />further. <br />The E2 Pit has had the eastern highwall completely eliminated and graded to 2H:1 V slopes or less steep. Grading and growth <br />medium placement has also occurred throughout the E3 Pit and slopes are gentle enough where drill seeding can probably be <br />done on the entire regraded pit area. <br />The A3 Pit was inspected and it was found that the below water slopes on the fill in the middle of the pit were graded down to <br />2H:1 V slopes or less steep except for apost-law fill in the middle of the pit and a small fill in the northernmost area of the pit. <br />All the post-law areas that are 5 feet above to 10 feet below (vertical distance) the water surface will have to be graded to <br />3H:1 V slopes or less steep in order to meet the requirements of Rule 3.1.5(7). The northernmost slopes in Pit A-3 look good. <br />Pit A-4 is filled with water at this point but is the pit that water has been pumped to to clear out other pits so backfilling and <br />reclamation can proceed in those pits. The water in Pit A-4 is used mainly for dust control and the level is expected to go down <br />in the winter months. <br />Pit A-6 has been completely graded, topsoil and growth medium placed and the area has been completely seeded by the time <br />of this inspection. The area looks good at this juncture but final disposition of this area will have to be watched closely since no <br />erosion control methods other than grading, topsoiling and seeding have been used. <br />Active growth medium placement was occurring in Pit E-1 at the time of this inspection. <br />No problems of possible violations were observed during this inspection. <br />Responses to this inspection report should be directed to Carl B. Mount at the Division of Minerals and Geology, Denver Office, <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, Denver, Colorado 80203, phone number 303-866-3863. <br />