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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: M-2004-020 <br />INSPECTION DATE: 6-15-04 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS GRM <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This inspection was conducted as part of the normal application review process established by the Colorado Division <br />of Minerals and Geology. The Cole Pit is a proposed 112c encompassing 260 acres in a phased mining plan. The <br />Cole Pit is located on private property on a dry mesa top approximately 5 miles south of Grand Junction and Karnali <br />Creek Road. Mr. Mark Austin and Tom Logue represented the operator's consultant, RG Consulting Engineers for <br />the inspection. <br />The first item of discussion was rather an amendment to the application was necessary to include the proposed <br />haul /access road. Division policy is that any roads that aze constructed or significantly improved for the purpose <br />of access or haulage of materials generated from a mining operation must be included within the permit boundaries. <br />The application as it currently stands does not include the access/haulage road from Kannah Creek Road to the mine <br />site. The current road is graveled and approximately 25 feet wide from the main road to the pernut boundary. If this <br />were to remain the main access and road, no inclusion to the permit would be needed. However, Mesa County has <br />required the applicant to move the proposed access point east approximately 250 feet. This requires the constmction <br />of a new entrance and approximately 250 to 400 feet of new road to where it intersects the current road. This new <br />access point and the entire road must be included in the permit azea per established Division policy. Failure to <br />include the new hauU access road will result in staff being unable to approve the application. By Rule, the <br />submission of an amendment to an application starts the review process anew which includes re-publication in the <br />paper and re-notification of all property owners within 200 feet with appropriate comment period. The re- <br />publicationmust occur within 10 days of submission of the amendment just like a new application (Rule 1.6.2(d) <br />and the Owners of Record within 200 feet of the haul road and permit azea(Rule 1.6.2(e)(i)(ii). <br />The Public Notice posting required under Rule 1.6.2(b) was observed on a fence post at the current access point off <br />Kannah Creek Road. The proposed boundaries for the permit area include fence lines along the west and east sides <br />and day lighted edges of the mesa on the north and south sides. (Photo 1,3,4) <br />Current vegetation ofundisturbed azeas is typical-high desert vegetation for this azea. Four-winged saltbush, rabbit <br />brush, sage aze the primary shrubs that aze spazsely spaced across the mesa top. Grasses noted included downy <br />brome, ricegrass and some needleandthread. The most predominate plant on the mesa at this time is halogeton <br />which makes up approximately 75 to 80 present of the observed vegetation. An old stock pond noted on the maps <br />and observed in the southeast section of the proposed permit azea has a grove of tamarisks established. This area will <br />have to be treated to eliminate the tamarisks or the topsoil materials and trees excavated will have to be disposed of <br />properly to prevent any spread of the noxious plant. The inspector has already requested that the applicant's <br />consultant address this issue. (Photo 2, 6,7,8) <br />No debris, trash or unsightly materials aze present in the proposed permit azea. <br />Currently, there is a major drainage coming of the mesa towards the north. (Photo 5) The applicant has spent <br />considerable time and effort designing protections for the drainage which will be undisturbed bymining operations. <br />Other than the access road coming up the draw along the east side, there is no noted unnatural debris or <br />sedimentation observed. <br />Other than the road issue and tamarisk, there appears to be no other issues with the current site or maps. <br />