ENFORCE20144

• Permit No: C1981018
• IBM Index Class Name: Enforcement
• Doc Date: 1/24/1994
• Doc Name: PROPOSED COMPACTION TESTING PROGRAM TO ABATE NOV C-93-156 DESERADO MINE C-81-018
• From: DMG
• To: WESTERN FUELS - UTAH
• Violation No.: CV1993156
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
January 24, 1994
Mr. Murari P. Shrestha
Assistant Manager of Engineering
Western Fuels -Utah
405 Urban Street
Suite 305
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
Re: Proposed Compaction Testing Program to Abate NOV C-93-156
Deserado Mine (C-81-018)
Deaz Mr. Shrestha:
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Ray Romer
Governor
Michael B. Long
Division Director
The Division has reviewed the proposed compaction testing program for Refuse Area 4 at the
above referenced mine. Several parts of the plan should be clarified or expanded upon so that
the Division will be assured of reliable data. The comments below are referenced to the items
as numbered in the proposed plan:
1. In order to have confidence in the test results taken from bulldozed cuts, comparisons
of compaction values from the dozed cuts to test pits or drilled holes need to be made.
Values for compaction should be taken from test pits excavated to the same depth as the
dozed cuts to demonstrate that the weight of the dozer in repeated passes through the
pit does not increase the observed compaction through the excavation procedure itself.
The least disturbance to the in place materials would occur if a hollow-stem auger hole
were drilled, and compaction tests made every two feet. Alternatively, test pits which are
carefully excavated with a backhoe or excavator will probably not disturb the in place
materials to a significant degree.
2. It is not clear how the 10 to 15 foot depth for the test trenches was "determined".
Although this figure came up in the Division's meeting with WFU as a suggested
acceptable limit for dozer-excavated trenches, data or records supporting the number of
lifts actually placed at the selected test locations should be used to determine the
required depths of the test trenches/pits. If this depth is greater than 10 to 15 feet, the
test locations should be drilled, or alternatively, excavated by a backhoe or excavator.
S. A descriptive log of the test excavations/holes should be made during the compaction