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(Page 2) MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # N-77-053 INSPECTION DATE 04/16/96 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO OBSERVATIONS This inspection was performed by the Division ae part of its monitoring of 110 permits, and to assess the adequacy of the financial warranty. The operator was contacted about the inspection but was not present for it. This permit adjoins a 111 permit located to the the west, and ie operated by the same permittee. That permit (M-94-074) was also inspected during this visit. The permit area was adequately marked by the required ID sign and corner markers. The impounded water in the bottom of the pit which was observed during the 9/94 inspection, was not present during this one. The operator has stated that he is currently preparing an augmentation plan to offset any seasonal evaporative losses, ae required by the Division of Water Resources. To control and limit the area where impounded water which seeps into the pit will collect (and therefore limit the total evaporative surface), the operator has constructed a shallow drainage ditch from the seep on the eastern pit wall toward the west, where there ie a small earthen sump. A water pump has been parked there, with a large plastic discharge line leading up and out of the pit. It extends to a shallow evaporation pond in the unexcavated area northwest of the pit. The seepage typically originates on the east wall (presumably from the proximity of the irrigation ditch or Ute Creek east of the pit). There was no seepage nor impounded water at the time of this inspection, though the creek ie flowing and the ditch ie now running this season. It may be useful for the operator to log the presence of water in the pit, or take pictures of it. There ie an asphalt batch plant set up in the floor of the pit, which is allowed by the permit. There is a portable scales set up at the base of the access ramp. The ramp ie now paved with asphalt, ae is about one acre of the pit floor. There has been no recent mining, only recent taking of stockpiled material in the pit. The operator has placed a couple of large piles of old asphalt material in the pit, possibly for reusing in future asphalt batching. The east wall was graded long ago, and ie stable, though without topsoil, it has only sparse vegetation. The south wall has been graded but ie not fully reclaimed either. The north wall is only rough graded in parts. The excavation is expanding toward the west, and joins the neighboring pit. The highwall on the northwest part of this pit ie 20 to 25 feet high and completely vertical. The highwall ie not near the permit boundary and topsoil has been stripped there, eo a highwall failure would not cause offeite damage or constitute failure to preserve topsoil. The operator should take due precautions, though, since this feature has no long-term stability and may prove hazardous. The financial warranty will be recalculated and the figures sent to the operator. The total will include removal of the pavement on the ramp and pit floor, filling the sump, backfilling the portion of the pit floor subject to flooding (using material graded from the elopes or available stockpiled material), finishing all uncompleted elope grading, disposal of asphalt material if it cannot be shown to be inert, breaking up pit floor compaction, spreading topsoil and revegetating the entire site, all according to the approved plan. As the reclamation plan exists, the entire site ie to be reclaimed as rangeland. The operator may influence the total bond amount by the timely performance of reclamation activities and the full reporting of their completion. The operator has stated that this and the neighboring 111 may be replaced by a 112 permit, by converting this 110 permit in the near future. If the future use of any of the pit ie to be a commercial area, such as for storage of construction or paving equipment ae the operator states, those modifications to the poet-mining land use and the related reclamation plan should be clarified in the 112 conversion application. For the record, there ie a large paved area adjacent to and outside the north permit boundary, where the operator stores equipment associated with highway paving. Neither the area nor the equipment are part of the mining operation, and such use of this site by the operator ie not under this office's jurisdiction. The operator is reminded that this offeite area ie not to be used for storing equipment or stockpiling material associated with this pit. There were no problems noted during this inspection.