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INSPECTION REPORT III'lllllllllllllll sss Site: National King Coal Mine, Hesperus, Colorado Inspected By: Don R. May, P.E., Project Engineer Inspection Date: Quarterly Inspection, February 1, 1997 NOTE: Due to recent record snowfall most of the mine site is covered making detailed observations of erosion and surtace instability impossible. Ponds: The east and west sedimentation ponds and their embankments appear in good condition. The inlet channel and owlet are buried in snow and not readily visible as seen in figure 1. Drainage Ditches: The east side and west side drainage channel appear in good general condition, however any erosion or blockage which might be there is covered by the snow and not visible. Photographs 2 and 3 shows the top and toe of the waste pile. Drainage around the pile is operating properly. Photograph 4 shows the yard. Runoff from the lower yard area is currently flowing along, and in, the access road, between the ponds and out into the adjacent pasture. Photograph 5 is looking down the entrance road between the ponds. The design calls for aditch/pipe diversion to intercept flow and channel it into the ponds. This feature needs to be constructed. All other ditches and structures were inspected and appear in good operating condition. Except for the conditions mentioned above, all drainage features have been constructed and are operating as stated in the drainage plan submitted to the Division of Minerals and Geology. Care should be taken next spring to assure that pipe and channel inlets and outlets are not blocked by snow and ice (both natural accumulation and moved snow). Coal Waste Pile: There are no visible signs of structural instability on the waste pile. Photograph 3 shows the front face of the waste pile covered with snow. The slope of the face appears to exceed the design slope of 3:1 (horz:vert). This should be confirmed and adjustments made to the face as needed to assure the design slope is met. The highwall and other slopes at the site appear stable. As reported last quarter, it appears that waste material is being generated in larger amounts that initially expected and hence the waste pile is approaching the final design volume prematurely. Except for the items mentioned above the fill on the waste pile has been constructed as specified in the design approved by the Division of Minerals and Geology.