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• (Page 21 • MINE ID p OR PROSPECTING ID rY M-99-058 INSPECTION DATE 613/99 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO This pre-operation inspection was performed by the Division as a result of a new 110 permit application which was submitted to the Division. The operator was contacted about the inspection and was present throughout the inspection. In addition, Joel Blumenthal, representing OMYA (the underlying landowner) was present throughout the inspection, and a former quarry worker, Roger Ball, arrived after the inspection had begun and was present during the final portion of the inspection. The inspection included surface and underground observations, pre-existing permitted disturbance, pre-law (historic) disturbance, and areas which have not been disturbed by mining. The proposed permit area lies in large part on the footprint of the existing, still-permitted operation of Colorado Yule Marble Company, though there is not perfect overlap of the two permit areas' boundaries. The proposed permit area does not include the 3-acre access road up to the portal area, which was constructed by CYMC for their operation. The new operation will use this road, but the landowner wishes the road to remain unreclaimed. The issue of performing road maintenance, while not contributing to downslope disturbance, will be an issue to explore with the applicant. (Downslope disturbance has the potential to affect areas outside the claims owned by OMYA. These areas are within the road easement of Gunnison County or owned by the adjoining owners, Kim and Steve McIntyre.) The existing waste dump below the portal extends down to Yule Creek. The permit boundary of the existing (CYMC) permit does not eMend down that far, and all material placed below that boundary under their operations may be offsite damage (possible violation for offsite damage will be determined by the Board at an upcoming hearingl. The proposed boundary of the new operation will likewise not extend to the creek, though there will have to be greater monitoring to ensure more careful dump material placement under the new operation. The new boundary markers must be visible and maintained for the life of the new operation. Any new sloughing and rolling material which reaches offsite areas under the new permitted operation will therefore be immediately apparent. The existing dump slope may or may not be completely stable. It appears that at least the toe of the pile should be reworked for the future stability of upslope portions, since the upper portions will be affected as future quarrying is carried out. This may involve careful placement of the material present to a "constructed" buttress of the toe of the dump slope. This will also act to clear a short portion of the foot trail that crosses this area. Additional work on the slope, but within the permit area should include constructing a sediment control structure (the former one was destroyed during dumping of material by CYMCI. Such discharge control may help with stabilizing the dump slope material. At the portal area, the existing generator trailer is still present, and the generator was operating. The diesel tank was still present, and still placed in the membrane-lined containment structure. The new operator should inspect the membrane regularly for weathering or photo-degradation, or tears due to falling material. (It might be advisable to maintain onsite some fuel- or oil-absorbing clean up materials, given the steep topography and proximity to the creek.) The fuel tank supplies fuel to the trailer via a buried line, with external valve under the trailer. Ilt was this valve that was intentionally used to leak fuel at the site in 1995.) The buried line is not subject to damage. The possibility of fuel leaks has been reduced by use of a small tank inside the locked trailer, which is filled for times when mine personnel are not present. The same access portal will be used to enter the quarry. It was closed by a locked gate. Underground structures to be used in the operation include equipment storage and service shop areas, fluid storage, and water sumps. Fluids kept in drums are racked with drip trays and located so that all spills are contained in a depression in the rock floor. There were two water sumps, both full. Deaatering was occurring via a system of pumps and lines leading up to and out old portal A3. Discharge from the line was routed down the gentle Swale at the head of the waste dump area. Discharge water leaves the mine clarified, but apparently picks up marble sediments in the waste dump prior to entering the creek. The discharge location should be changed or sediment structure built. The new lands to be permitted extend south from the existing permit limit. These areas, south of portal 713, will include the outcrop slope, exploration portal k5, the upper reaches of the clearing in the (above mentioned) gentle Swale, and a portion of the timber east of the Swale. The Swale area will become the new upper end of the waste dump.