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• (Page 21 <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-94-005 <br />INSPECTION DATE 05/02/97 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of 112 permits, The operator was contacted about the <br />inspection and was present for it. <br />The permit ID sign was posted at the entrance, and markers were observed along the boundary of the permit (consisting mainly of <br />tencelinel. <br />The operation consists of several phases. Presently Phase I is being mined to a depth of about 20 feet. The pit is approved to go <br />another 15 feet deeper. The northern and northwestern sides of the pit have sidewalls sloped at 3:1, topsoil applied and <br />revegetation is becoming established. The unsloped portion of the west side of the pit has topsoil and overburden stockpiled there. <br />Theoutside toe of these linear stockpiles extend to the fenceline, which is the boundary line. New material has been recently added <br />to the piles, so there is no vegetative cover on them. The operator should ensure that the material does not slough outside of the <br />permit area, and that if kept stockpiled beyond this growing season, that it receives a seeding of protective vegetation. <br />The vertical highwalls around the pit perimeter are such that there is sufficient space and material to knock the slopes down to 3:1 <br />from above. If the pii is deepened, a bench should be left to ensure that the 3:1 slope can be attained without backfilling. There <br />are no roads nor access by livestock to the tops of the highwalls, and the vertical nature of the active highwalls poses no hazard <br />other than to mine personnel. <br />Phase I also contains the paved entrance road, scales, asphalt batch plant (which is scheduled to be removed in late Mayl, and large <br />stockpiles of gravel in the pit and on the unmined land east of the pit. The pit can expand greatly to the east at its present depth, <br />once the stockpiles and hot plant are removed. <br />The fuel storage area is clean, and a good containment structure is in place. <br />Phase II is being affected, only inasmuch as there are stockpiles of silty material placed there for use in reclamation. These have <br />been placed over topsoil, but that is no problem. When the operation reaches that phase, these piles will be removed, and topsoil <br />stripped and stockpiled for use in reclamation. There are'no roads or excavation in this phase yet. <br />Phase III is being affected also. There are several small piles of gravel product placed on about 2 acres in the SE part of this phase. <br />There is no disturbance in the remaining phases. <br />There is a visual berm along the northern end of the permit. It is constructed of topsoil. It has some seeded vegetation, but it is <br />thin, especially on the south side. This pile will be here until the close of mining, since it will be used to topsoil the present entrance <br />road. The operator stated that it will be reseeded this year, and may possibly have a drip irrigation system installed too. At the toe <br />of the north side of the berm, against the permit boundary, is a short line of trees, planted by the operator to also help screen the <br />operation from the nearby house. The trees consist of an alternating line of green ash and two different pines. Most of the ash <br />appear [o be dead; many of the austrian pine appear to be dead; most of the pinon pine are alive. These were planted to hide the <br />operation from view, but if the pit is to be deepened, they may not be necessary. The operator stated that he would discuss it with <br />the neighbor before replanting. <br />The financial warranty will be recalculated based on current disturbance, but since it was calculated in 1994 based on more <br />disturbance, it is felt to be adequate at present. When new figures are ready they will be forwarded to the operator for review. <br />There were no other items noted or discussed during the inspection, nor any problems observed. As always, mining and reclamation <br />activities should be well described and possibly mapped for the annual reports. If there are questions about this report, please <br />contact the inspector at the address or phone shown below: <br />Division of Minerals and Geology <br />484 Turner Dr., Bldg F-101 <br />Durango CO 81301 <br />970(247-51 93 <br />