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• (Page 2) MINE ID ~ OR PROSPECTING ID p M-1978-305 INSPECTION DATE 4 1/ 2100 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO OBSERVATIONS This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of 110 Construction Materials permits, and as a preoperation inspection of an area proposed to be added to the permit under conversion application CN-01. The operator was contacted about the inspection and a time was arranged to meet at the site. In addition to the operator, several other persons were present: two representatives of the National Park Service INPSI, Ken Stahlnecker and Dave Roberts; and one representative from the Bureau of Land Management (BLMI, Julie Coleman-Pike. Mr. Stahlnecker and Mr. Wilcox were present throughout the entire inspection. The permit ID sign was posted at the entrance gate to the site, and most of the permit boundary markers were observed. The required Notice pertinent to the conversion application was also observed posted at the entrance. Equipment noted onsite included one dozer and wheeled loader, plus numerous parts of equipment. There is still a 30-foot scale and wooden scale house. There is still a 30-foot storage trailer and 20-foot tanker trailer on the site. There is a volume of wood and metal debris. All equipment, debris and structures are to be removed upon final reclamation. The barrels and buckets of waste oil have been removed, and contaminated soil apparently cleaned up. The highwall in the permitted area is about 200 feet long, an average of 30 feet high, and an average slope gradient of 0.5:1. The final plan calls for reducing the gradient to about 2:1, which could be accomplished by pushing down some material from above, and backfilling the toe from the floor material. Mining and sloping being carried out on the upper bench has resulted in some of the upper highwall graded to 2:1 slopes. There were several stockpiles on the site, consisting of blasted rock, different sizes of crushed rock, and fine material. These are contained in the pit floor. Saved topsoil is bermed along the southern boundary, near the northeast corner, and along the northern boundary up on the hill. There is a small amount of topsoil piled above the top of the upper highwall. Some of this material predates this permit, but all piles are within the permit and may be used for final reclamation. The area to be added to the permit was inspected. It lies mainly to the west, southwest and south of the existing permitted area. The additional area was marked along the west boundary by an old barbed wire fence. The overhead powerline, identified in the application, crosses the site and passes over the hilltop in the additional area. The uplands are covered by various native brush, sandy soil and decomposed rock or outcrops of igneous rock. There is some distinct topsoil in large portions of the hilltop area, and though it is thin and rocky, it may be worth salvaging for reclamation. Discussion onsite mainly involved how the proposed operation was to be carried out: where the operation zones would be, locations of pit floor activities, highwall and bench configuration, geotechnical stability, potential public and operational hazards, and reclamation. Since it appeared that NPS may require the operator to delay mining any new additional land, under the proposed plan, so that assessments and reviews may be performed and possibly a separate permit obtained, a modified plan of operation was discussed. The modification would involve mining approximately only the zone 5 area, while permitting the entire 33 acres now, and later modifying the plan again for further mining after NPS approvals are given. It may turn out that any mining additional to zone 5 will be so restricted that a new mining site would be sought. At this time it seems a good idea to explore other options, since so much is still unknown regarding possible NPS restrictions, and with the DMG decision date approaching, anextension may 6e needed. These topics of modifications and phasing will be covered under separate conversion-related letters. The financial warranty was not reviewed, in light of the upcoming changes and decision on the conversion application. If the conversion is not completed soon, the existing bond and existing disturbance will be re-evaluated. There were no problems noted during the inspection. For all questions or responses to this report, please contact this inspector at the following address or phone: 701 Camino del Rio, Room 125, Durango CO 81301; tel 970/247-5193 or fax 970/247-5104.