INSPEC30413

• Permit No: C1996083
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 3/6/2007
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE
Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made during the
inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection and the facts or
evidence supporting the enforcement action.
This was a complete inspection conducted by Joe Dudash of the Colorado DRMS. Bill Bear represented the
operator during the field inspection and records check. The longwall will start up in the BS panel within a week
Main Mine
The paved haul road was in good condition. Guazd rail was up. The access road to the utility bench and the light
use roads were all passable.
The utility bench was covered in snow. The bench's outside berm was functional. The bench's back ditch was
covered in snow as well. The rock catchment berm above the utility bench was functional. The cut slope above
the raised bore drill pad was also stable. On the west end of the utility bench, the orange-colored water from the
small seep had collected in a small pond next to the road, but the color of the ponded water was very dilute.
The highwall and the fill slopes above the D-seam portal bench were stable. There was very little stockpiled coal
left on the bench. The bench's outside berm was in place. The ditches and culverts on this bench were clear. No
problems were noted with the fuel barn or with any of the other facilities. Everything was in order at the
material storage areas and the cap and powder houses were secured.
The operator was repairing part of the cut slope above the B-seam portal bench that had been slowly moving
downward right next to the haul road. The repair involved two drain pipes that will drain the immediate site.
Excavated dirt was being put back and compacted over the drains. At the front of the B-seam portal bench, the
operator cleared a partially blocked culvert inlet so ponded water could drain a little better. There were no
problems with any of the facilities on this bench. The operator had replaced the belt line on the conveyor that
brings coal from the B-seam portal bench up to the D-seam portal bench. The belt had been torn due to ice and
was allowing coal fines to drop onto the fill slope below. The coal fines will be cleaned up. This area drains to a
sediment pond.
The B-seam excess material storage stockpile appeared to be stable. The same was true of the main topsoil
stockpile. Topsoil signs were up and the collection and diversion ditches were functioning properly.
The wash plant was operating during the inspection. No problems were noted in this area, including the coal
refuse loading station and the substation. Culverts and ditches were in place. At the entrance to the mine site,
culverts, ditches and straw bales were functioning properly, although one culvert inlet along the main haul road
next to the engineering building will need some maintenance soon. The mine ID sign was up, as were the
surface disturbance markers around the mine site.
There was a moderate amount of coal at the coal stockpile bench adjacent to the main highway. The berm on the
outside edge of the bench was functioning properly. There were no fugitive dust problems. There was a fair
amount of water in pond B. The operator is planning on discharging the water very soon. The float was on the
primary discharge tube inlet. At the request of the Bureau of Reclamation, the outlet of the primary discharge
tube has been piped into a plastic culvert that was placed in the Deer Trail Ditch. This ditch runs alongside of
the Fire Mountain Canal. In this way, any leaks in the Deer Trail Ditch won't allow pond dischazge water into
the canal. Ditches leading into pond B had sufficient capacity.