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_ ~ (Page 2) MINE ID f OR PROSPECTING ID ,f M-95-005 INSPECTION DATE 03/20/95 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO OBSERVATIONS This pre-operation inspection was performed by the Division during the review period for new 112 permit applications. This inspector ie performing the technical adequacy review of the application. The applicant (operator) was notified about the inspection and was present during the inspection. Immediately prior to the inspection, this inspector met with the operator to discuss the application. The majority of technical adequacy questions will be contained in the adequacy review letter, to be sent under separate cover. The site ie located south of the company shop and office, up on the top of a nearby mesa. The permit area boundary is defined by the county landfill property on the south and west, a county gravel pit on the east, and by topography on the north. The north boundary ie irregular, and corresponds with where the shoulder of the natural elope drops away to the north. The land is level on the mesa top. The permit area includes the hillsides south of the mesa top. There is some topsoil material on the top, very little on the hillsides. there ie much cobbly and coarse material exposed on the hillsides. Vegetation observed on the sides and top consists of ealtbush and galleta grass mostly, typical for warm dryland sites. Drainage on much of the sloped (southern) portion of the permit area is toward the west. Any precipitation on the mesa top probably percolates faster than it can run off. The vertical drop from the mesa top to the drainage channel along the south edge ranges from about 10 at the southeast to 50 feet at the southwest. There is an existing pond at the southwest corner, which appears to be fairly old. The wetland vegetation ie well established in and around the pond. The pond will remain after reclamation. There is a small area of the bordering landfill which drains onto the permit area. The access road to the site, which normal mine traffic will use, will not be direct from the office, but will be an extension of the access road to another pit the company operates (M- 90-145), entering from the east. The operation will be very similar to that of the existing pit, in that activity will be limited to the mesa top and south elopes. The operation will not be visible to the north, except for some of the topsoil piles. The gravel will be mined down, but the pit will not daylight on the north. The main road for operations through the permit area will extend along the south boundary. Mining will be into the south flank of the hill, beginning at the east end and progressing to the west. Ae the vertical factor of the topography increases toward the west, and gullies drainages become deeper, mining may become very limited. It may cease before extending this far. Ae mining progresses, grading and hydroseeding will be carried out on areas where mining is finished. There ie an area of pre-existing disturbance within the permit. Mining in the south-central portion of the permit area, with no subsequent reclamation, has left about 2 acres of a levelled pad, and a 10- to 15-foot highwall about 300 feet long. Part of this will probably be included in the road along the south boundary. The permit area's location, being adjacent to the county landfill and hidden from view, has made it easy for the public to leave trash and debris on the site in the past. In the pre-law pit there are about 2000 cubic yards of broken pieces of steel-reinforced concrete culvert, dumped by someone in the past. There were no problems noted during this inspection. I & E Contact Address NAME Sandra DuCrav OPERATOR Mountain Region Corp STREET 117 29-3/4 Rd CITY/STATE/ZIP Grand Junction CO 81503 cc: Jim Stevens/DMG ^ CE ^ BL ^ FS ^ HW ^ HMWMD (CH) ^ SE ^ WQCD (CH) ^ OTHER