_INSPECTION - C1981008 ‎(34)‎

• Permit No: C1981008
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 1/28/2009
• Email Name: MLT
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE
Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made
during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection
and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action.
This was a Complete Inspection of the New Horizon Mine conducted by Marcia Talvitie of the
Colorado DRMS beginning at 9:00 a.m. on 28-Jan-2009. Ross Gubka represented the operator,
Western Fuels - Colorado, and was present throughout the entire inspection. The weather was
overcast and cold at the time of the inspection. The permit area had received a recent, light
snowfall.
Availability of Records
• Records were available at the mine office for review. A completed DRMS Availability of
Records form is attached to this report.
• Western Fuels provided a copy of their new Annual Reclamation Report for 2008. A second
copy will be mailed to the Denver office of the DRMS.
Roads
• Roads were predominantly frozen solid throughout the permit area.
• WFC is attempting to arrange for the reconstructed portions of BB Road and 2700 Road to
be surfaced with asphalt during the 2009 paving season. They have, so far, been
unsuccessful in locating a contractor who will have a hot mix asphalt plant in the vicinity.
Hydrologic Balance
The DRMS received WFC's Annual Pond Certification Reports for the New Horizon Mine on 20-
Jan-2009.
Pond 007 - The water level was low, and the pond surface was frozen with the exception of a
small area in the northeast corner. The banks and pond slopes are well-vegetated and appear
to be stable. There was no sign of rills or gullies. WFC does not expect the pond to discharge in
the future, now that water from the active pit is diverted to Pond 011.
Pond 008-The pond surface was frozen, and no discharge was occurring.
Pond 009 - Some water had accumulated in the pond, the result of recent warm weather that
melted previous accumulations of snow. The surface was frozen, and no discharge was
occurring (Figure 1).
Pond 011 -This pond continues to receive inflow from the mine dewatering operation. In order
to prevent the outlet valves from freezing, WFC is maintaining sufficient depth of water in the
pond to keep the valves submerged. Once the risk of freezing is no longer a threat, no water will
be stored in this manner. The pond was discharging at the time of the inspection (Figure 2).
Pond 012 - Similar to Pond 009 this pond has apparently received some recent snowmelt, and
the surface has subsequently frozen. The banks, although seeded previously, are very sparsely
vegetated, and kochia appears to be the only specie that succeeds here.
Pond 013-The pond bottom has numerous frozen puddles. The source of water is unknown -it
could be either snowmelt, or groundwater.
New Horizon Mine C-1981-008 28-Jan-2009
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