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(Page 2) • MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-78-271 INSPECTION DATE 1/14/99 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of 112 Construction Material permits. The operator was contacted about arranging a time for the inspection. The representative named on page one was present throughout the inspection. The required permit ID sign is posted on the gate at the entrance to the site (NE corner). The east and north boundaries are marked by the existing fencelines (north one is apparent even though part of the fence is dilapidated). Th o hand w s bo daries are not marked This is noted as a problem in this report with the corrective action being the accurate location and placement of corner or boundanr markers. See the last page for the corrective action date The operation is phased, which was part of the approved plan in the 1982 conversion to a 112 permit. The pit is excavated from the east end to the west. The east end of the pit and the north edge of the pit are near the boundaries, and will not be mined further in those directions. Part of the north edge of the pit has been sloped to the 3:1 gradient required in the reclamation plan. It is rough graded only and has not been topsoiled or seeded yet. The "newer' part of the north highwall is still at a 1:1 slope, with topsoil stockpiled above the highwall. The operator has planned the sloping and top soiling well: enough room has been left on the ground for sloping to be carried out without disturbing the topsoil stockpile or affecting areas outside the boundary. The west end highwall is the active area of the pit. Stripping is carried out to a depth of about 12 inches prior to excavation to a uniform 15-foot depth. Land least 50 feet in advance of the highwall has been stripped in preparation of mining, with its topsoil windrowed both north and south of the width of the pit. Though the NW and SW corners are not marked, afield estimate indicates that there is about 400 feet of distance to the west edge of the permit area. This, of course must be known soon, and it will be verified by the survey which is used to mark the corners. As the pit advances, strip all topsoil possible for later use in reclamation and leave adequate room to perform necessary reclamation grading. The crusher is set up in the west end of the pit. The floor is fairly uniform (except for the lower area in the east end of the pit, which is older and will not be redisturbed). Numerous stockpiles of product are scattered throughout most of the western half of the pit. In the center of the floor is a pile of fine/reject material, which is being salvaged for use as growth medium in reclamation. The floor is completely gravelled, with no vegetation on it. The southern highwall seems to be older. It is mostly at a 1:1 gradient, appraently left after mining there moved on. A significant amount of sloughed material is lying along the toe of the slope. Evidence along the slope indicates that this material has fallen from the too which visibly includes the topsoil layer. Topsoil may have been stripped back from what was once the location of the top of the slope, but that location has moved as the material sloughed. Topsoil is not being carefully salvaged even though there probably exists a shortage in the overall volume of topsoil now salvaged for final reclamation. In the southeastern corner of the pit, at a second but minor active highwall, a truck and loader operated by Alamosa County was excavating pitrun from a vertical highwall. Thy topsoil above this had not been stripped. and he was mining topsoil in the pitrun. There was a stripped area nearby, but the equipment was not mining there. For the conditions described ~n thug paragraph and the preceding~aragranh the topic of topsoil is noted as a problem.