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<br /> <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-96-097 <br />INSPECTION DATE 12/02/99 <br />(Page 2) <br /> <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS ESC <br />This was an inspection of the Smuggler Mine conducted by Erica Crosby of the Colorado <br />Division of Minerals and Geology. Gary Wright of Wright & Preusch Mining Ltd. was present <br />during the inspection. Weather conditions on site were clear and cool. <br />The mine site is located on the northeastern edge of Aspen, Colorado. The 110(2) Mining and <br />Reclamation Permit was issued to Wright & Preusch Mining Ltd. on January 14, 1997 for a total <br />area of 9.9 acres. The Division holds a financial warranty in the amount of $56,200.00. <br />The Smuggler Mine is a delisted Superfund site as of September 1999. The area was first <br />mined back in 1879, and includes five tunnel openings, mine dumps and old mining structures. <br />According to information in the permit file, EPA estimates that roughly 22,000 CY of old mine <br />dumps are present on site. The operator is currently conducting mining tours at the Smuggler <br />Mine as well as surface facility improvements. A condition of the permit requires that the <br />operator obtain DMG approval before the operation exceeds the maximum average production of <br />25 tons/day. To date, limited surface activity has been conducted, and no new waste rock <br />from the underground workings has been disposed of on site. <br />Gary Wright stated that 750 CY of material was disposed on the Smuggler mine site during the <br />EPA clean-up activity. The permit makes no mention of this off-site material. According to <br />Tom Dunlap of Pitkin County, the source of material was from a road constructed by William <br />Ranch Subdivision across the lower boundary of the Smuggler property. Tom Dunlap informed the <br />Division that the excess road cut material was disposed on the mine site between 1995 and <br />1996. If this material was disposed on site prior to issuance of the permit (January 1997), <br />it will not need to meet the requirements of Rule 3.1.5(9) regulating disposal of fill <br />generated outside the permit area. The operator will need to clarify in the permit the <br />date(s) in which this material was disposed of on site in the form of a letter to the <br />Division. <br />The permit file indicates that the ground water depth is 105 feet below the collar of the <br />Smuggler shaft. The lower mine area is flooded but no discharge was noted. The operator <br />plans to mine the upper areas where water has never been encountered. Surface water is <br />collected at the base of the mine and discharges into a small depression where it eventually <br />evaporates. During the permit review process, the applicant did commit to providing one <br />complete suite analysis of water quality data from the lower levels of the mine before <br />operations commence. The operator should be reminded to submit the full suite analysis prior <br />to any underground mining activity. <br />The Division was unable to locate a mine identification sign as required by Rule 3.1.12(1). <br />The operator will need to post a mine identification sign at the entrance of the mine site <br />with the name of the operator, a statement that a reclamation permit for the operation has <br />been issued by the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board, and the permit number. The <br />operator shall submit a photograph of the sign to the Division within 60-days of receipt of <br />this report demonstrating compliance. <br />I & E Contact Address cc: Carl Mount, DMG <br /> ^ CE <br />NAME Gar v Wright ^ BL <br />OPERATOR Wri qht & Preusch Mining Ltd. ^ FS <br />STREET 201 North Mill Street ^ HW <br />CITY/STATE/ZIP Asp en, Colorado 81611 ^ HMWMD (CH) <br />C~~ tT!rIE'J ~UTAIL NO. 37 ~~ 1CFj <br />~E7UF~i~! ~;ECEIPT REQUESTEQ <br />