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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1977-297 <br />INSPECTION DATE 6/3/09 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO <br />This partial inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of Hard Rock/Metals 110(2) permits. The <br />operator was contacted to arrange a time for the scheduled inspection. The operator's representative named on page one was <br />present during the inspection. Also present during the inspection were Dan Burns and Kyle Turley, both of US DOE (the site is <br />largely located on US DOE lease tract CSR-13), and Helen Mary Johnson and Joel Hartman, both of BLM (the northern edge of <br />the site is on BLM-managed land). This was a partial inspection since the Burro 7 area was not inspected. <br />The site was not active at the time of the inspection, and has not been active for several years. There was a permit ID sign <br />posted on the ore bin near the lower portal. There are numerous pre-law mining features in the vicinity of this permit, which are <br />not included in the permit area. (This includes the features at the Burro 3 claim: a vent shaft that has re-opened presenting a <br />hazard, and a runoff containment berm that is eroding and causing a failing dump slope. The erosion on the Burro 3 is above <br />and outside the permitted area, but is affecting the onsite stormwater and sediment control in the permit area.) <br />The permit area includes a lower portal, ore bin and large waste dump; a road leading to the Burro 5 and Burro 7 mine features <br />(permitted road corridor is 50-60 feet wide, according to the 1994 SWMP map); a vent shaft along the road, enclosed in a <br />security fence; areas for several upland stormwater control structures; Burro 5 dump and vent shaft plus steel buildings and <br />generator/compressor location; Burro 7 dump, headframe, ore bin and vent shaft on and near the Burro 7 claim; and (according <br />to the 1984 affected area map) location of the change/dry building. Several areas of the permit have been reclaimed, including <br />the Burro shaft (backfilled), Burro 7 shaft (backfilled), change/dry building (demolished), access road between Burro 5 and <br />Burro 7 (recontoured and revegetated). None of these items have been removed from the permit area, though the associated <br />reclamation costs may have been removed from the bond amount. If the operator wishes to request release of any fully <br />reclaimed areas, please follow the steps described in Hard Rock Rule 4.17.) <br />The permit boundary is irregular and would be difficult to completely mark, but since much of the permit is located on hill slopes <br />providing the potential for sedimentation, erosion, sloughing, or expansion from earthwork, it is essential that portions of it must <br />be marked prior to re-starting any activity. Specifically, the dumps and SWMP areas must be marked in a durable and visible <br />manner. This is not a problem at this time. <br />The lower portal has been cleared of muck, and is secured by a locked steel grate. The portal was dry. The lower dump <br />contains some wood cribbing and steel debris. Drainage control from the portal and dump areas appears adequate. The lower <br />segment of the road (near the county road) has been modified by grading to retain stormwater runoff that is not being <br />adequately contained in the upland areas of the permit. No runoff is reaching the county road, but the temporary berms are not <br />engineered and may reach capacity soon. The upper areas of the permit are being severely eroded, including breaching of the <br />berms, sediment filling the retention ponds, road berms overtopped, roadbed gullied deeply, culverts clogging, and possible <br />increased erosion of natural drainages below the roads and dumps. The former operator had a SW MP from CDPHE/WQCD, <br />and it is assumed that the present operator also has one. It does not matter that there is no mining activity at the site; the <br />operator must monitor and maintain adequate drainage and erosion controls, by complying with the current SWMP if one <br />exists. Failure to provide adequate controls will result in further onsite and offsite deterioration. The lack of functioning <br />drainage controls on the site is noted as a problem in this report. The corrective action is that the operator must provide <br />evidence of rebuilding adequate stormwater controls and evidence of compliance with the SWMP. See the last page for the <br />correction date. (If the operator wishes to constructor install different structures than what is presently approved for the site, it <br />may be necessary to obtain a permit revision.) <br />There were no stockpiles of ore or topsoil, no mining equipment, no noxious weeds and no hydrocarbons or contaminants <br />noted. The US DOE holds a bond for the operator's activities on this lease tract. The reclamation costs will be reviewed and <br />the new figures will be sent to the operator. <br />No further items were observed during the inspection. Responses to this inspection report should be directed to this inspector <br />at the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, 691 County Road 233, Suite A-2, Durango, Colorado 81301. (Please note: <br />As of 7/1/08 the Durango Field Office moved to the new address, shown above. Please revise your records as <br />necessary.)