INSPEC36879 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

.' December 14, 2006 Oak Ridge Energy, lnc. 4613 Jacksboro Highway Wichita Falls, TX 76301 Cazbon Junction Mine Complete, oversight inspection December 12, 2006 Participants: Mike Savage, Savage & Savage Consultants Tom Kaldenbach, Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DBMS) Ralph Lamson & Randy Poleahla, Hopi Tribe Henry Austin, Office of Surface Mining (OSM) I accompanied the above participants on a complete, oversight inspection of the Carbon Junction Mine. Weather conditions were cold and dry, with recent', light snow and fro2en ground conditions. Mr. Savage represented the permittee. No offsite impacts were identified during the inspection. Coal and gravel mining operations are complete; and the!site has been completely reclaimed with only minor, final reclamation grading remaining for the 2 sediment ponds, and 1 soil material stockpile that was not necessary for final topsoil replacement. All roads remaining have been approved to facilitate the post mining land use of commercial-residential land. All signs and mazkers were posted where required. We began the inspection at the North Pit which was reclaimed this year, and seeded during July 2006. The final grade is 3:1 slopes and operators have done a very good job of blending the final slopes into adjacent undisturbed areas. Topsoil replacement is 12 inches throughout the area. Good growth of the cover crop and permanent species seeded in July is controlling erosion with the exception of a few rills and 1 gully that have formed fat topographic low azeas coming off of the rock outcrops above the reclaimed slope, and at the northeast corner of the reclaimed slope. Mr. Kaldenbach and Mr. Savage discussed various methods of correcting and controlling the minor erosion areas. Reclamation of this slope appears successful; and the principal drainway at the base of this slope (Carbon Junction Canyon) also appears to be successfully reestablished and armored with large rock. Two designed culverts have been installed to safely pass the runoff from Carbon Junction Canyon under the primary road, and the discharge outlet of these culverts is stable. The South Pit and ancillary azeas received Phase III bond release in 2004 and were disturbed by gravel mining operations. These areas aze also completely reclaimed and returned to approximate original contour. Mr. Kaldenback described the coal vs. gravel mining permit boundaries; and we inspected the former equipment storage areas, soil material stockpiles, and primary sediment pond number 1. The storage areas are fully reclaimed and stable, and the sediment pond was dry and functional.