INSPEC22811

• Permit No: M1978052
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: MINERALS PROGRAM INSPECTION REPORT
• Inspection Date: 12/9/1997
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• (Page 2) •
~ MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-78-052
INSPECTION DATE_December 9, 1997 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS TAS
OBSERVATIONS
1. A site inspection was conducted of the Howe Pit located two (2) miles southwest of the
town of Henderson. Present during the inspection were Tim Buterbaugh and Tom Turnipseed.
There were snow flurries during the inspection and the access roads driven on were very
muddy.
2. The Howe Pit is permitted for a total of 389.24 acres with a financial warranty of
$328,800 in the form of Corporate Surety. The designated post-mining land uses are
Recreation, wildlife Habitat, and Developed Water Resources.
,.. 90 ov~aO
3. The site is currently disturbed with approximatley h6-2- acres affected by mining. The
operator has designed a phased mining plan and is currently excavating material in the Phase
5 Area. The mining plan specifies 11 phases of disturbance. Therefore, approximately SOe
of the mineable deposit has been removed. All disturbance was found to be well within the
permit boundary. There was also a site entrance sign posted, as required by Rule 3.1.12.
4. Available topsoil has been and is being salvaged according to the mining plan.
Approximately 5 acres have already been regraded to final reclamation contours and topsoiled.
5. There are large stockpiles of overburden and topsoil east of the current working area
which will need to be regraded in order to achieve the desirable post-mining contours. Mr.
Buterbaugh estimated the overburden and topsoil stockpiles to contain approximately 300,000
cubic yards of material.
6. All aspects of the water management system including channels, sumps, and hydraulic
structures were inspected and found to be operating according to the terms of the mining
plan. Ground water, runoff water, and process water discharged from the site appeared to be
clear and free of sediment. The operator has an NPDES water discharge permit for the Howe
Pit, issued by the Colorado Department of Health.
7. The reclamation plan specifies the creation of two (2) large lined reservoirs with semi-
irregular shore lines. The reservoirs will be fully lined with shales, clays, and overburden
creating an impervious barrier for water storage. The operator has provided an alternate
reclamation plan for the creation of wildlife/recreation use in the event that adequate water
rights for water storage and evaporative loss cannot be obtained within the required
timeframe. Mr. Buterbaugh indicated that the operator presently has adequate water rights
for the Howe Pit, although there is no correspondance in the permit file to verify this
statement. The Division requests that the operator clarify this issue by providing an update
on the status of the water rights needed during the mining and reclamation phases of the
operation and of the water rights currently held by the operator. This information is
necessary as it will determine whether the reclamation cost as mentioned in item 8 below will
be calculated for the primary or the alternative reclamation plan.
8. Although there is no specified limit on the number of acres that may be disturbed at any
one time, the operator has provided a reclamation bond adequate for reclamation of 56.46
acres (Stages o, 1, and 25 disturbed acres) and construction of all planned hydraulic
structures. It appears that all planned hydraulic structures have been completed, therefore
the total number of disturbed acres which can be reclaimed according to the existing
reclamation plan is unknown. The reclamation cost was last calculated by the Division in
1990. As a result, the Division will calculate a current reclamation cost for the Howe Pit,