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(Page 31 MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1986-076 INSPECTION DATE 7/19/02 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO weathering of the hydrocarbons. They may be spread thinly on the pad or road and turned regularly. More extensive spills must be removed offsite. This fuel storage location must be made more secure or moved elsewhere. Another old portal appears to have been opened, perhaps through removal of old surface dump material being mined. Opening of the numerous old portals onsite is allowed in the approved plan, as long as they are ultimately closed also. Closure will probably involve backfilling of rubble or tailings and local fill as part of the final grading. The No. 3 portal (as identified on the portal shedlis located downhill from the crusher and mill. It is secured by a locked grate. The pad at the No. 3 and inside the adit appear to be used for storage of equipment. Some recent removal of material (assumed to be ore) has occurred from the slope above the pad. A small grizzly is set up there too. Tailings were formerly disposed of where the crusher now sits. The current tailings disposal area is located on a new extension of the pad at the No. 3 portal. The approved plan allows for different tailings disposal areas on the site. The plan defines a series of different locations for each of the following activities: "cut and fill tailings disposal," "contour depression fill and reclamation area," "mining area," and "soils stockpile area" (per 9/30/94 mapl. The operator must ensure that orderly development (e.g., disturbance and reclamation) are canted out onsite, according to the areas defined in the approved plan. If a different scheme is seen to be better suited for the current and future operations, a revision to the permit must be applied for. If activities do match the plan, and the plan is not revised, it could result in a problem to the permit or a case of inadequate bond amount posted. The lowest portal on the permitted area is open, and partially secured by a wooden door and entry, though the door was unlocked and ajar at the time of the inspection. It should perhaps be kept better secured since members of the public can hike right by it on the old ramp road. Inside the portal is the shallow sump used for impounding the water that is pumped uphill to be used in the mill circuit. The sump was intact and full, and the pump was present though not running. The portal seasonally discharges water, and an exterior sump was observed 112' x 15' x 1.5'1. The sump was dry and no discharge was observed. The sumo is also the groundwater sampling location. This office has not received the results from the annual groundwater sampling nor the results of the annual surface water sampling (collected in the ephemeral gulch below). This is noted as a problem in this report. Submitting water analvses is a permit requirement for this DMO, and failure to do so is considered a problem. Even if no water was available to sample, a submittal reporting this fact must still be provided. The operator must submit the analvses for 2000 and 2001, and ensure that the required samnling for 2002 is being carried out. See the last page for the due date for the overdue reports. (This was also explained in a 7/12/02 letter, hereto attached.) The lowest segments of road, leading down to this portal, appears to need better drainage control, since it exhibits erosion. Poor control may result in sediment transport to areas offsite (below the permit boundary). Gentle waterbars ("rolling dips") plus berms or grading toward a ditch, or sumps at the switchbacks, should be employed. The sump and pad at the lowest portal should be maintained, but not expanded or sediment disposal allowed to go downhill, This is in the vicinity of the lower edge of the permit area and no disturbances, either active or passive, must go outside the permit boundary. This is "offsite damage" and may constitute a possible violation. The Lowest segment of road also exhibits the beginnings of a thistle infestation. This is one of the county's listed noxious weeds which is required to be controlled. Given the several factors of operator's road maintenance, sediment transport, and proximity to the permit boundary, there is high probability of spread of the infestation to larger areas within the permit boundary and also offsite. The operator must not allow the weeds to spread. If a larger area is noted next year, this will become a problem. The operator should be aware that the annual report is due on December 31 every year. In it all annual activities must be reported, including mining and processing operations, reclamation and maintenance activities, weed control, and sampling results. As new areas are affected (according to the plan, of course) new maps should be submitted showing these items. The bond amount has not been recalculated in several years, and it is now scheduled for review. The operator may influence the amount by careful adherence to the plan, reclaiming on schedule, and reporting such activities. This office will notify the operator of the new figures when prepared. If an increase is indicated, State law allows the operator 60 days to submit it. If the new operator's contact information (shown below) is not correct, please contact this office.