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III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br />Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made <br />during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection <br />and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br />This was a complete inspection conducted by Kent Gorham of the Colorado Division of <br />Minerals and Geology. This former underground mine was reclaimed and reseeded in 1996 <br />and early 1997. Ground conditions on this day were snow-covered and muddy in places. <br />The weather was breezy and mild for December. <br />Availability of Records <br />The public copy of the mine records is kept at the office of Peak Project Management (PPM). <br />The contact, address, and phone number for PPM is Ron Thompson, Peak Project <br />Management, 34115 County Road 20.8, Trinidad, CO 81082, 719-846-4975. All records <br />were found in compliance as detailed on page 2a of this report. The operator should <br />endeavor to acquire a signed copy of the RN-04 mining permit from the corporate office of <br />Basin Resources. <br />Revegetation <br />Trespass grazing is again occurring at this site. Agate near the reclaimed area of pond 3 <br />was found open and the adjacent fence was obviously mechanically cut, allowing cattle full <br />access to the lower portion of the reclamation. Cattle droppings were also observed on the <br />road traversing the main facility reclamation. The Division suggests that any grazing be <br />coordinated to avoid potential impact to next year's revegetation efforts (year nine). <br />Offsite Support Facilities <br />As approved under Technical Revision #55 (TR-55), sealing operations were observed at the <br />NW-1 ventilation fan site. Kevin Whipkey, P. E. for Norwest Corporation was supervising the <br />project. AI Gonz, of Gunther-Nash was the project foreman. Mr. Whipkey provided the <br />following explanation of operations prior to my arrival; <br />Operations began with set-up on the site the week of November 29. Carbon dioxide was <br />pumped down the hole to evacuate the shaft of potentially explosive levels of methane gas. <br />A large fan was used to dissipate the methane at the surface. Once methane readings <br />approached zero at the surface, the shaft cap was removed and a safety fence erected. <br />Large rock (36X0) was dumped into the shaft, followed by pit run rock, then bentonite and <br />water to approved levels. 320 cubic yards of concrete was added on Sunday, December 5 <br />followed by another 320 cubic yards on Monday, December 6. <br />When I arrived at the site on Tuesday morning, December 7, trucks were continuing to haul <br />cement. An additive was added to each truck prior to dumping the truck contents into the <br />hole. This additive help to fluidize the cement to ensure the cement passed behind the liner <br />into the annulus that was filled with pea gravel when the shaft was completed. The mixture <br />appeared to have a consistency of a thin milk shake following the additive. <br />