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• • )Page 21 • • MINE ID !f OR PROSPECTING ID !/ M-1978-091 INSPECTION DATE 10/30(00 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO OBSERVATIONS This partial inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of Hard Rock and Metals 110 DMO permits, and to assess current disturbance so that the reclamation cost estimate may be updated. The operator's representative was contacted about the inspection and a time was arranged to meet at the site. The operator named on page one met this inspector on the access road to the site, and both parties proceeded to the site in the operator's vehicle. The operator remained onsite throughout the inspection. The required permit ID sign was posted near the entrance to the 6 Level pad area. The area had several inches of new snow covering it, though the features to be inspected were still visible. No activity has occurred at the 3 Level pad this year, and no access to that pad was possible at the time of the inspection due to snowy conditions. All observations below pertain to the 6 Level pad. Onsite drainage appears to be controlled better than in the past. The portal was not discharging ground water during the inspection. The sumps at the toe of the cut slope are being maintained in place. They contained water, which the operator stated was primarily stormwater runoff. The pad area was graded to provide better drainage toward the sumps. The pad was wet from melted snow, was only slightly rutted and was impounding little water. The operator stated that an underground sump was being utilized to control discharge, and provide a location for some underground return to groundwater. The underground dewatering pump was operating at the time of the inspection, with a small amount of discharge percolating from the buried pipe directly into the south sump. The water was not muddy. The surface sumps receive fine sediments in much of the groundwater and stormwater runoff which drains here, which reduces their capacity. The operator stated that the sumps woukf be dug out soon, and the sediments placed on the pad. The operator must be careful of the sediment placement location, especially ones containinn mineralized or acidic materials. One of the requirements of the operator's Environmental Protection Plan IEPP) is to reduce or eliminate contact between mineralized (acidic or toxic) material and surfaces or materials not so affected. The placement should be isolated, and not spread out or subject to wide drainage areas. This will help to protect groundwater, surface water, and possibly materials on which future revegetation will be attempted. The north end of the pad was still receiving muck and waste rock, being placed in an 8-foot lift. The operator must be very careful to not allow newly-placed muck to slouoh over the side of the dump. Other margins of the pad exhibited a low berm. Overall the pad surface was in better shape than last year. Maintaining the surface drainage is important for improving operating conditions, but directing stormwater and portal discharge water off the pad and down the mineralized, erodible dump face was not the correct solution. The surface water in the gulch was barely flowing. The groundwater sampling "well" was still in place, and contained a small amount of water. Continued sampling will be required, in order to establish a better baseline. Gulch water in the "well" continues down the gulch, but with minimal contact with mineralized material from mining. The south end of the pad has received some fill, mostly to build up the surface and isolate the gulch drainage from the pad drainage. Some loose colluvial material is obtained at the north end of the pad to be used for various reasons on the site. Additional clean, coarse material should be nlaced along the face of the fill as the fill level rises, but without blocking gulch flows. This will reduce contact between mineralized muck and the gulch drainage. The operator must ensure that this practice continues, since as more fill is placed, there is more surface which could provide runoff, sedimentation or sloughed material to the gulch waters. The outer edge of the pad was slightly bermed (in addition to the overall slant toward the portal) for drainage control. Some mass wasting of the dump face material has occurred, which has compromised the outslope terraces. No new material has been placed there, nor has pad drainage been allowed to run there. The terraces are relatively new, and are part of the required Environmental Protection Facilities IEPF'sl. Material movement should be monitored, with serious instability corrected promptly. Next vear the terraces should be fully re-evaluated, and if necessary, modified in the plan. The new lift of waste muck should be placed to create a new terrace, which should be much more stable due to its method of construction.