2009-04-08_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981046

• Permit No: C1981046
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Date: 4/8/2009
• Doc Name: Memo Regarding Portal Collapse
• From: Jim Stark
• To: Sandy Brown
• Permit Index Doc Type: General Correspondence
• Email Name: SB1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
COLORADO
D I V I S 10 N O F
RECLAMATION
MINING
SAFETY
INTEROFFICE Govern sill rn r,,r.
or
MEMORANDUM Harris D. Sherman
Executive Director
Ronald
TO: Sandy Brown W. Catt
}? Division Director
or
Natural Resource Trustee
FROM: Jim Stark
SUBJECT: Sunlight Mine (C-1981-046) Portal Collapse
DATE: 8 April 2009
The Sunlight Mine is located in Garfield County, approximately 11 miles south of the
Town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado and approximately one mile north of the Sunlight
Ski Resort, on Garfield Country Road 117. The mine has operated in one form or another
since the early 1900's, until its permit was revoked and bond forfeited by the Division in
1987. The Sunlight Mine had two portal entries, one above the County Road and one
below the County Road.
The problem at the Sunlight Mine is with the portal entry below Garfield County Road
117, also known as the air shaft. The Division first noticed a small amount of settling in
May 2006 (detailed in the 19 May 2006) inspection report. This settling has become
progressively worse and it is to the point where the portal seal is now visible (see the
Division's 23 October 2007 Inspection Report). In addition to the settling, the wooden
beams that were part of the original portal structure (and remained to help with the
stability) appear to be rotting and collapsing.
The lower portal (air shaft) is less than 50 feet vertically from the road surface and easily
accessible to the general public. In addition, the shaft is driven under the County Road
and the backfill material makes up a portion of the road's outslope. Additional collapse
of either the portal or the associated backfill could cause a road failure, which could
threaten public safety.
It is my opinion that the lower portal will first need to be excavated in order to check the
integrity of the seal. It will then need to be backfilled/stabilized, have topsoil replaced
and it will need to be reseeded. Based on the amount of snowfall and runoff the slope
receives, it may also be advisable to divert water around the area.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information.
Office of Office of
Mined Land Reclamation Denver • Grand Junction • Durango Active and Inactive Mines