_INSPECTION - C1981047 ‎(24)‎

• Permit No: C1981047
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 8/27/2009
• Email Name: JJD
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS-COMPLIANCE
Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made
during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection
and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action.
This was a follow up Phase II and Phase III final bond release inspection for the Blue Ribbon Mine.
Present was Stan Muhr, owner of Minrec, the operator of the Blue Ribbon Mine. Also present were
Elizabeth Shaeffer, representing the Office of Surface Mining and Joe Dudash of the Colorado
Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety. The Bureau of Land Management, the USDA-Forest
Service, Oxbow Mining LLC and the holders of the Allen grazing rights were notified of this inspection
but no representatives were present.
The original Phase II and Phase III final bond release inspection had been held on August 27, 2008.
The Division's inspection report of August 27, 2008 contained details of the bond release process, the
Blue Ribbon Mine bond release permitting process (SL-2) and the operational and reclamation history
of the Blue Ribbon Mine. As a result of the original Phase II and Phase III bond release inspection, it
was determined that additional reclamation work needed to be performed before the Division could
propose to approve the final bond release. Therefore, the purpose of this follow up inspection was to
examine the success of this additional work. In addition, a general assessment of the overall
reclamation work at the Blue Ribbon Mine was conducted.
This inspection report is divided into three sections. The first section involves the follow up Phase II
and Phase III bond release inspection. The second section concerns the general inspection. The third
section contains digital images taken during the inspection.
Follow Up Bond Release Inspection
In the Phase II and Phase III final bond release request(SL-2), Minrec had provided a soil loss
comparison evaluation that had demonstrated that the vegetative cover on the reclaimed disturbed
area was sufficient to control sediment loss so that untreated runoff from the disturbed area will not
contribute suspended solids levels greater than that from pre-mining levels. Therefore, sediment
ponds 4 and 5 were no longer needed so they were reclaimed.
At sediment pond 4, the northeast section of the pond embankment had been pushed in and the pond
spillways had been removed. The disturbed area had been seeded. The resulting vegetative cover at
pond 4 appeared to be comparable to the surrounding undisturbed area vegetative cover. The
vegetative cover at the location of the former pond embankment was lagging behind that of the rest of
the reclaimed pond, even though the area had been ripped before seeding. However, the total area
was very small and the terrain was flat, so no problem with erosion is anticipated.
The southern section of the pond 5 embankment had been pushed in and the area seeded. The pond
5 spillways had been removed as well. The vegetative cover on the reclaimed pond 5 disturbed area
was comparable to that on the undisturbed land. Similar to pond 4, the vegetative cover on the
reclaimed pond embankment area was not as good as on the rest of the reclaimed pond disturbed
area. However, erosional problems are not anticipated since the very small area is flat and the
vegetation is sufficient.
The 18 inch diameter black plastic culvert that had been in the side drainage on the north end of the
disturbed area had been removed. Several of the culvert sections had been temporarily stored at the
reclaimed coal stockpile area but those had been removed as well.
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