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(Page 2) MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1977-403 HR INSPECTION DATE 9/29/03 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RC OBSERVATIONS This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of Hard Rock and Metals 112 permits. It was a partial inspection since only features in the Pandora Mill area were inspected, and not on the Red Mountain area. The Division attempted to contact the operator by telephone about the inspection. The operator was not present at the time of the inspection. The site has been in the reclamation stage for many years, and the operator has been reporting compliance with the court- ordered remedial action plan. That plan corresponds somewhat with the reclamation plan the operator is required to complete under this DMG permit, including the reclamation of the mill site and the tailings ponds. Reclamation here appears to have consisted of some clean-up of debris, minor structural removal, maintenance of discharge control structures, and minor slope grading. The mill building stilt stands, as do the office and several other buildings In the vicinity of the mill. The county road has been rerouted through the mill yard, cutting off public access to tailings ponds 1 through 6 along the San Miguel River. The operator's annual reports have recently stated that the vegetation on the tailings is no longer regularly irrigated, and the stand is monitored for survival. There was what appeared to be a topsoil stockpile west of the mill building, along with straw bales and earthmoving equipment. It is assumed that these materials wilt be used for additional final reclamation of the site, though it is not clear where. The series of four infiltration ponds appeared to be in good condition and functioning as designed. The inlet pipe was in good condition, and will remain functioning in the future, since the reclamation plan allows the portal to continue to discharge. The stormwater pond below the infiltration ponds and county road was impounding runoff water from the mill site. There were public notices posted along the county road leading to the mill site, in regards to changes in land use in the area. This issue has come to the attention of this office in prior years, and may affect the direction that final reclamation proceeds. The operator is again encouraged to contact this office to discuss updating the approved reclamation plan in the DMG permit, to remain in compliance with the plan and to ensure that the bond amount is correct. The bond appears to be adequate to perform the required reclamation. If certain bonded structures have been removed, or final grading has taken place, it is in the best interest of all parties to remove them from the list of bond liabilities. (The operator is reminded that the set of reclamation tasks being performed for the CDPHE Consent Decree is not exactly the same set of reclamation tasks required for this permit. The bond for this permit is based only on the tasks specified in the reclamation plan, within the permitted area boundaries.) Another inspection, concentrating on the Red Mountain portion of the permit, should be scheduled in the near future. No further items were observed during the inspection, and there were no problems. Responses to this inspection report should be directed to the Division of Minerals and Geology, 701 Camino del Rio, Room 125, Durango, Colorado 81301, Attn: Bob Oswald; phone no. 970-247-5193. I & E Contact Address cc: Harry Posey, DMG NAME OPERATOR STREET CITY/STATE/ZIP Bill Lvle Idarado Minino Co. PO Box 584 Ourav. CO 81427 ^ CE ^ BL ^ FS ^ HW ^ HMWMD (CH) ^ SE ^ WOCD ICHI ^ OTHER