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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1977-170 <br />INSPECTION DATE 02/05/09 INSPECTOR'S INITIALS PSH <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />The Butala Gravel Pit, File No. M-1977-170, was inspected by Peter Hays with the Division <br />of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) as part of the Division's 4-year monitoring <br />inspection program. Mr. Jim Pizzino with Butala Construction Company was present during <br />the inspection. <br />The Butala Gravel Pit is located approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Salida in Chaffee <br />County, Colorado. The site is located within an area that is zoned industrial. The <br />approved post mining land use is industrial. The pit was previously inspected by the <br />Division on August 28, 2004. <br />The Butala Gravel Pit is a 112c sand and gravel operation, permitted for 84 acres with 12 <br />acres of disturbance at one time. The permit was issued on October 1, 1978. On <br />September 23, 1998 the Division approved an amendment (AM-01) to expanded the pit from 22 <br />acres to 84 acres. Mining will occur in a number of phases, each approximately 12 acres <br />in size. <br />Mining activity at the Butala Pit is contained within Phase 1, which is located in the <br />northwest corner of the permit area. Mining is progressing from west to east. The pit is <br />currently 20' deep. Mr. Pizzino stated mining would proceed 3 to 4 feet deeper to the <br />hardpan across the floor of the pit. He estimated Phase 1 would be completed in 1 to 2 <br />year. Mining is schedule to move to the eastside of the creosol area after Phase 1 is <br />complete. The north and west pit walls of Phase 1 were reclaimed to 2:1 slopes. The east <br />pit highwall was mined vertically, which is permitted by the techinical revision (TR- <br />02)approved by the Division on December 21, 2004. The excavated material is hauled to the <br />wash plant in the central permit area where it is washed and stockpiled or to the crusher <br />located on the creosol area. <br />A small spring was noted on the north end of the Phase I area. The source of the water is <br />an old irrigation pipe that has been cut. Some of the water runs through the cut pipe <br />into the pit. <br />The wash ponds, wash plant and stockpiling area are located adjacent to the Arkansas <br />River. The wash plant is a portable unit, and the fines settle through a series of ponds. <br />The east wash pond facility is not connected to the other wash ponds on site. The <br />construction of this pond was addressed in Technical Revision 01 (TR-01). The ponds will <br />ultimately be reclaimed to 3h:ly and replaced with topsoil. <br />The center of the mine contains the creosol area. No mining is allowed in this area. The <br />area is 6.6 acres in size. The EPA removed the upper 3-4' of material from this area and <br />stockpiled and capped the material on site. Markers delineate this area. The area is <br />used for stockpile storage. <br />The Division inspected several fuel storage tanks on site. Tanks observed were portable <br />double lined units and appeared to be in good condition. No evidence of fuel spills were <br />noted during the inspection. <br />The Division currently holds a financial warranty of $117,500, which is adequate to <br />complete the reclamation of the site based on the observations from this inspection. <br />An entrance sign was posted and permit boundary markers were observed as required by Rule <br />3.1.12. No problems were noted during the inspection.