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(Page 2) MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-94-117 INSPECTION DATE 5-10-97 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS ACS The spray evaporation system in the tailing pond was inspected. There are 17 sprinkler heads on a line located along the uphill side of the pond. These sprinklers can be charged either by the line coming from the mill building, which is connected to the Hazel-A main pump, or by the recirculating pump located in the tailing pond. There are 23 sprinkler heads on a line located along the downhill margin of the pond. These sprinkler heads are oriented horizontally to prevent spray from escaping the lined area, however, maximum evaporation will not be achieved unless the spray heads are upright. These spray heads must be reconfigured so that they are upright and spray is contained in the lined area. The 40 sprinkler heads in the spray evaporation system is 40 fewer than the 80 spray heads required in the approved plan. The spray evaporation lines must be extended, and the 40 additional sprinklers installed (see PB-1 on the last page of this report). The land application system was inspected and found to be properly installed and functioning adequately. The land application system should only be used if freeboard in the pond or Hazel-A become critical. The operator is reminded that the water sampling plan described in the permit must be initiated if the land application system is utilized. Several other observations were made in the vicinity of the tailing pond. The pond freeboard was approximately 20" at the time of this inspection. There was exactly 12" of freeboard to the elevation of the decant riser closest to the mill. The fence around the tailing pond is damaged and open at a number of locations. The fence must be repaired to prevent wildlife access and possible damage to the liner (see PB-2 on the last page of this report). There were 3 rusted, leaky 55 gal. drums containing tailing located just above one of the stormwater diversion ditches above the tailing pond. The tailing in these drums must be placed into the tailing pond and the drums properly disposed of, or the drums of tailing must be placed in the mill building (see PB-3 on the last page of this report). Other site observations include: (1) The access panel at the low end of the mill building is no longer water tight. A gasket must be installed around this panel making it completely water tight (see PE-4 on the last page of this report). (2) Scraps of liner material have blown down onto the hillside below the tailing pond. This area need to be cleaned-up (see PE-5 on the last page of this report). (3) The toe area of the dam was inspected. No seepage, bulging, or other problems were noted. (4) Ground water monitoring wells # 1, 2, and 3 no longer have locks on the well caps. New locks must be installed (see PB-6 on the last page of this report). The Hazel-A adit was inspected. The Hazel-A inspection log book has been maintained. The main Hazel-A pump and the two sump pumps were checked and found to be functioning. There were two substantial leaks in the Hazel-A bulkhead, but they were both near the top of the bulkhead, so were not critical. However, all leaks in the bulkhead must be repaired on a timely basis, particularly if the leaks are in the lower two-thirds of the bulkhead. At the time of this inspection there was only 1.5" of freeboard at the bulkhead. This slight freeboard is not acceptable. The water behind the bulkhead should be kept as low as possible at all times, but at no time should the freeboard amount be less than 12 inches. Any freeboard at the Hazel-A bulkhead of less than 12 inches at any future inspection will be considered a possible violation to the Gold Hill Mill permit. The Hazel-A pump was running, and was going to run through the night of May 10 into May 11, 1997. This should alleviate the lack of freeboard at the bulkhead. Until further notice, the Division will require that the site be monitored on a daily basis, including weekends, and that the spray evaporation system be operated a minimum of 8 hours each day, preferably from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. when maximum evaporation can be achieved.