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MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: M-9000- I 1_5 <br />INSPECTION DATE: 10/16.19188 INSPECTOR=S INITIALS: -11E _ <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was a normal monitoring inspection of the Mullett Excavating Pit; permit number M-2000-115. This site <br />is located approximately five and one half miles north west of the town of Tyrone, Colorado in Las Animas <br />County. I, Jared Ebert of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety conducted the inspection. <br />No one from the operation was present during the inspection. <br />The permit area for this site is 13 acres. As one enters the site from County Road 74.2, the access road is <br />supposed to run due east into the permit area. There is evidence that this road existed at one time, however; it <br />appears that a new road has been added to enter the site, just south of the old access road. This road appears to <br />be outside of the permit area. (See figures 1-3, and the attached map) Also it appears that the operator has <br />disturbed about .23 acres of land outside of the eastern permit boundary. These issues are cited as a possible <br />violation at the end of this report. <br />The proper mine identification sign was not in place. Three survey markers were found during the inspection, <br />two of them appear to delineate the eastern boundary line. Another marker was found on the north west corner <br />of the excavation; however, this marker was estimated to only be about 600 feet from the north east boundary <br />marker, it should be 817 feet away. No other markers were found. The discrepancy in the boundary lines will <br />need to be clarified. It is unclear if the survey markers that were observed at the mine site where the actual <br />permit boundary markers. This is cited as a problem at the end of this report. <br />A large stockpile of mined material is in place on the eastern corner of the mine site. There is a large pit <br />excavation at the center of the site. A small path leads down to the bottom of the pit on the eastern side of the <br />excavation. The highwall runs along the southern, western and northern permit boundary and partially along <br />the eastern permit boundary. Using an Abney level, the height of the pit wall was estimated to range from 15- <br />25 feet high. A large pile of material that appeared to be topsoil was located along the eastern permit <br />boundary. At the bottom of the pit, a pool of water was observed. This appears to be ground water that has <br />been exposed for some time given that wetland vegetation has begun to establish around the pool such as <br />cattails. According to the current approved mine plan, the mine operation was not to affect the ground water at <br />the site. This is cited as a problem on the last page of this report. Also several tamarisk trees are located within <br />the pit excavation. The tamarisk trees will need to be treated and removed from the site, this is also cited as a <br />problem on the last page of this report. (See Figures 9-10). <br />Overall, the new access road is outside of the permit boundary. Also, based on the two survey markers located <br />on the north and south side of the pit delineating the east side of the permit area, the operator has disturbed <br />about .23 acres outside of the permit boundary. <br />2