2009-10-28_INSPECTION - M1991078

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MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: M-1991-mA INSPECTION DATE: 1n-19-9nn9 INSPECTOR=S INITIALS: ALE OBSERVATIONS This was a normal monitoring inspection of the Peters Pit; DRMS file number: M-1991-078. This site is about 11 miles northeast of Sugar City, Colorado in Crowley County. I, Jared Ebert of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety conducted the inspection. The Division contacted Kiowa County regarding the inspection and no one from the operation was available to accompanied me on the inspection. The proper mine entrance sign was in place and the permit boundaries are marked with T-posts and mounds of material. The operator has disturbed land outside of the permit boundary. According to the approved mining plan and map, there is supposed to be 500 foot access road leading into the site from Kiowa County Road 1/ Crowley County Lane 31. The Division observed three roads leading into the mine operation branching off from the access road. From the main access road, one road branches northwest, the other continues almost due west and the other branches south west. Two of these roads (the one heading due west and the other heading southwest) appear to be improved and maintained for the mining operation, the other road has been improved; however, the road does not seem to be in use because weeds have established on the road. The roads are about 14 feet in width on average. Based on the Divisions files only one access road is to exist most likely the road heading west into the mining operation. The other two roads not included in the mining and reclamation plan make up about .31 acres of disturbance. Also, approximately .41 acres of land has been disturbed by the mining operation outside of the eastern permit boundary. In summary, about .72 acres of land has been disturbed outside of the approved permit boundary. This issue is cited as a possible violation at the end of the report and will require an Enforcement Hearing in front of the Mined Land Reclamation Board. A map of the Division's findings is enclosed with this report. In 1997, the operator was found in violation for failing to protect areas outside of the affected land from slides or damages for lands outside of the eastern permit boundary. The operator was ordered to reclaim this disturbance. On November 28, 1997 the operator submitted a letter to the Division stating the disturbed land outside of the permit boundary had been reclaimed. Subsequent inspections of the site indicate the operator had reclaimed this land. Also, previous inspections conducted in 2002 and 2005 have not noted any disturbance outside of the affected land, so the current disturbance outside of the affected land occurred recently and is possibly not associated with the 1997 violation. About 7.77 acres of land has been disturbed by the mining operation. A highwall is advancing west and is near the western boundary of the permit area. The highwall is about 1,034 feet in length and ranges in height from about 3-5 feet to about 20 feet. The operator is cautioned about advancing much further west at portions of their current excavation, it is already very close to the western permit boundary where there is very little room for mining and reclamation activities. It is already going to be difficult and expensive to re-slope portions of the excavation where there is no longer room to push material west of the highwall. A berm of topsoil is located adjacent to the highwall parallel to the western permit boundary. About midway along the highwall, the operator has excavated into this material. In accordance with Rule 3.1.9 (3), topsoil stockpiles shall be stored in places and configurations to minimize erosion and located in areas where disturbance by the ongoing mining operation will be minimized. The Division has included a map with this report displaying the locations of the pit highwall and the topsoil berm. The operator should note where these two lines intersect or are very close to each other. Only a small amount of topsoil material has been disturbed by the mining operation at this time. However, if portions of the topsoil berm located close to the