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ORIGINAL - PUBLIC FILE <br />(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: M-1977-911 <br />INSPECTION DATE: 12/8 R,1 1/Q8 x 9/1n4n9 INSPECTORS INITIALS: _gK_ <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />Berhan Keffelew and Allen Sorenson of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(DBMS) conducted a monitoring inspection of the Pikeview Quarry in response to a call <br />received from Continental Materials regarding a major landslide event that occurred on <br />site on December 2, 2008. Mr. Mac Shafer, Vice President-Transit Mix Aggregates, called <br />DRMS on December 3, 2008 to inform the office of a major subsidence that occurred on site <br />and that all other agencies, including MSHA had been notified. He also informed the office <br />that the slide was approximately 500-600 feet in length by approximately 500 feet wide, no <br />injuries had occurred due to the slide and there was no immediate emergency. <br />Due to adverse weather conditions, DBMS did not visit the site until December 5, 2008. The <br />site is a phased 112 Lime stone quarry located north of the City of Colorado Springs along <br />the west side of highway 25. The failure surface was clearly visible from 1-25 as one <br />drives along the highway and looks to the west at the quarry face. The site was mined pre- <br />law before an application for a reclamation permit was submitted in 1977 and approved over <br />objections in 1980. Approximately 95 °s of the pre-law area was included in the permit <br />area that was approved in 1980. Post mining land uses for the site are wildlife Habitat & <br />Industrial Commercial. Since the original permit was approved in 1980, the mining and <br />reclamation plans along with and other aspects of the approved plan, have been revised via <br />technical revisions and amendments through 2001. <br />Also on site during the December 5, 2009 inspection were three MSHA inspectors from the <br />Pittsburg technical support field office and two additional inspectors from the Denver <br />office. The site visit began at the toe of the failure surface south of the shop area <br />where active mining was taking place in the area designated as Area "H". Pictures of the <br />massive failure surface were taken from this location and are included with this report. <br />At the toe of the rubblized material and above the active mining face were a small drill <br />and two haul trucks. MSHA had restricted access to this area until it was determined safe <br />to attempt to remove equipment. <br />With the MSHA inspectors we drove along the southern access road to get a better view of <br />the failure surfaces. Due to safety, MSHA had restricted access to this area with the <br />exception of personnel conducting investigative work to determine what may have led to the <br />slope failure. We drove on the road to where MSHA thought it was safe to use motorized <br />vehicles and walked the rest of the way to the Lay Back Area which is north of where the <br />slide occurred. Small and large tension cracks were observed along the slope faces and <br />the width of the road, with a major tension crack approximately 600 feet from the area <br />where the vehicles were parked. This major tension crack crossed the width of the road, <br />with approximately two feet of vertical displacement of the road. The tension crack <br />continued to the top of the ridge. Due to safety concerns, DBMS personnel did not climb <br />above the road to see how far the tension cracks extended above the road, or if it <br />affected areas outside the permit boundary. The area is very steep and it would have been <br />unsafe for anyone to access in order to verify if the tension cracks exceeded the permit <br />boundary. Mark Heifner, and Berhan Keffelew crossed the road and walked all the way to the <br />Lay back area. The number of tension cracks observed in the area of the lay back were <br />minimal to non-existent. The granite has been exposed in this area and operator was <br />actively removing and pushing material from the top benches to the lower benches as <br />approved in the amended mining and reclamation plan of 2001. <br />The planted trees south west of the failure surface were stable and no major tension <br />cracks were noted. At the end of the road, there was a D-9 dozer and a small pick-up truck <br />stranded due to the road failure. Since the operator did not construct a road to the <br />Northeast of this area, as approved in 1985, this equipment will have to remain until <br />approval is granted by MSHA, to allow the operator to remove the equipment along the