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III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE <br /> Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made <br /> during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection <br /> and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. <br /> This report documents an Aerial Inspection of the New Horizon Mine conducted by the Colorado <br /> DRMS. Aerial photos were taken by Harry Ranney of the DRMS on Wednesday, 11 March 2009 at <br /> approximately 12:30 p.m. The photos were reviewed and this Inspection Report was prepared <br /> by Marcia Talvitie. <br /> Weather conditions were clear at the time of the aerial flight. Traces of snow were visible on <br /> north-facing slopes. <br /> Hydrologic Balance <br /> Water was impounded in Ponds 007 and 008, but water levels appeared to be too low for <br /> discharge to occur. <br /> Pond 011 continues to receive water from mine dewatering operations. It could not be <br /> determined whether discharge was occurring at the time of the inspection. <br /> Shallow puddles of water were present in the bottom of Ponds 012 and 013. <br /> Backfill & Grading <br /> A bulldozer was pushing freshly-shot overburden into the pit. <br /> The shovel was located atop the consolidated overburden, in advance of the drilling operation, <br /> and appeared to be in the process of free-digging unconsolidated overburden. The dug <br /> material was being loaded into haul trucks and carried to the back side of the pit to be <br /> dumped. <br /> Explosives (Blasting) <br /> Typically, drilling and blasting of the entire thickness of consolidated overburden has been <br /> accomplished in a single shot. Mining is presently occurring at the southern end of Cut 89 or 90, <br /> and due to the close proximity of the Morgan home, the upper and lover portions of the <br /> overburden are being blasted in separate operations (photo attached). <br /> Topsoil <br /> Topsoil (possibly subsoil) was being spread on regraded acreage north of BB Road on the Lloyd <br /> property. <br /> Air Resource Protection <br /> Active haul roads appeared to have been recently sprayed with water as a dust palliative. <br /> Prime Farmlands <br /> Topsoil (A or B horizon) on the Morgan property had been pushed up into a windrow in advance <br /> of the mining operations. A "V" Ditch had been cut along the western edge: of the windrow to <br /> prevent loss of topsoil resource. <br /> Removal of topsoil and overburden has nearly reached the "Mixed A and B" topsoil stockpile <br /> generated from construction of Pond 011. <br /> Topsoil=generated from the excavation of Pond 013 (WFC property) was stockpiled and <br /> bounded by a ditch on the downstream face. In addition, a series of ditches had been cut <br /> across the face of the pile to provide erosion protection and enhance drainage of water from <br /> the surface. <br /> New Horizon Mine C-1981-008 11-Mar-2009 <br />