Laserfiche WebLink
(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M- <br />INSPECTION DATE /09 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of Construction Materials 112c permits. The operator <br />was contacted about the scheduled inspection. The site was active and there were operator personnel working at the site <br />during the inspection, but there was no operator's representative accompanying this inspector during the inspection. <br />There was no permit ID sign observed at the entrance to the site or posted on the office/shop. This is required pursuant to <br />Construction Materials Rule 3.1.12. The lack of a permit ID sign is noted as a problem. See the last page of this report to see <br />the date by which an ID sign must be posted. Please review the cited rule to ensure that the new sign contains all the required <br />information. The permit boundary is defined by fencelines and other physical features, and all mining-related activity is within <br />the permit boundary. (Note: If additional land is amended to this permit, such as to the west, all the affected area within that <br />additional acreage will also have to be properly marked, pursuant to the same rule cited above.) <br />A series of end-dump trucks were entering the permit area to dump hundreds of cubic yards of fill material, generated from the <br />nearby airport paving project, onto the north bank of the old SW pond. The approved plan under the existing permit does not <br />allow the importing of offs ite-generated fill material. This must be approved prior to perfoming such activity, in the form of a <br />technical revision or Notice, pursuant to Construction Materials Rule 3.1.5(9). This is noted as a problem in this report. The <br />corrective action is for the operator to provide a Notice or technical revision to the permit. See the last page for the correction <br />date. <br />Groundwater is fairly shallow due to the proximity of Tomichi Creek. Excavation has resulted in pits that become permanent <br />ponds. The site contains two older ponds on the south end, and a newer pond on the central west portion of the site. <br />Stockpiling and processing of aggregate, and equipment and waste storage, occur on the northern and central areas of the <br />permit. The total volume of stockpiled aggregates is estimated to be up to 100,000 cubic yards. <br />The narrow strip of land between the two older ponds on the south is infested with Canada thistle and limited amounts of <br />scentless chamomile (a county-designated noxious weed). This area has not been recently disturbed by mining, and the <br />noxious weeds should have been fully controlled, but there are several thousand square feet of weeds. The noxious weed <br />control plan for this permit is not effective, either in its content and/or in its execution and this is noted as a problem If the <br />written plan that currently exists for this permit is potentially effective if it were properly followed the operator must begin to <br />follow it. If the plan is not aggressive enough the permit must be revised to include the updated plan The corrective action is <br />that the operator must provide a coin of the currently-approved plan to this office for evaluation accompanied by a written <br />commitment to follow the plan. If this office determines that the plan must be revised the operator will be so informed See the <br />last pace for the correction date. (A copy of this report is being sent to the county weed district office, address below.) <br />The reclamation plan calls for maximum slopes of 3:1 for all reclaimed pond banks within a specific range of elevations around <br />the waterline elevation, as defined in Rule 3.1.5(7). Reclamation grading is to be carried out in a timely manner, pursuant to <br />Rule 3.1.7(4). There are many lineal feet of pond banks, mainly on the two older ponds on the south, that are apparently <br />considered by the operator to be final slopes since they were not reduced to the approved final gradient, but are steeper than <br />the approved gradient. This is noted as a problem. The corrective action is for the operator to check and verify the existing <br />gradients of all final pond slopes, and provide those figures to this office accompanied by a statement committing to performing <br />the required bank grading for final reclamation on all slopes and a projected timeframe for the grading (These figures will be <br />utilized for calculation of the updated bond amount.) See the last page for the correction date. <br />The diesel fuel tanks and other hydrocarbon storage are on the west side of the office/shop building. The secondary <br />containment for the diesel tank is an earth berm. There are numerous 55-gallon drums and 5-gallon oil buckets stored on an <br />unbermed concrete slab. There was no impermeable secondary containment liner observed for any of the fluids stored onsite <br />and this is noted as a problem. The corrective action is for the operator to either provide adequate secondary containment or <br />remove the fluids that are not stored with liners. See the last page for the correction date. <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 />the new address of Durango Field Office, shown above, and revise your records as necessary.) <br />Cont.