2010-03-09_INSPECTION - C1981019

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Colowyo C-1981-019 10 February 2010 Pg 2/4 Backfilling and Grading: - Colowyo was conducting backfilling operations using the 102 dragline in the North Taylor area of the West Pit (although the dragline was down for scheduled maintenance at the time of the inspection). The backfilling operation was in the Taylor Draw area south of the area that was backfilled in 2009 (in the West Pit). Colowyo is planning on Backfilling approximately 130 acres in this area in 2010. The Backfilling will essentially complete the Taylor Tributary Ditch, which will collect all of the runoff for the western half of the West Pit and route it into the East Taylor Pond. - Colowyo continues to fill in the final cut area of the Section 16 Pit. Colowyo is placing backfill material in approximately 50-foot lifts. At the time of the inspection Colowyo has filled approximately 90% of the Section 16 Pit with the first lift of fill material and approximately 80% of the Section 16 Pit with the second lift of material. The material is coming from the South Taylor Pit and is from both the truck/shovel and truck/excavator operations. Lance Sigismond stated that the remaining 10% of the Section 16 Pit (the north portion of the pit) would probably be filled in using dozers to push material from the remaining spoil ridges on either side of the cut. - Colowyo has stopped work on the Backfilling operations along Haul Road A at the East Pit/West Pit boundary. The area is a wedge of approximately 23 acres in the northwest quarter of Section 10. This wedge area ties-in with reclamation that has already been completed in the East Pit (reclamation blocks EP041 and EP046). Colowyo has temporarily stopped this work as the dragline was needed in the West Pit and walked to the west side of the pit when it had finished, where it is now performing reclamation in the Taylor Draw. - The West Pit area that was backfilled, topsoiled and seeded in the summer of 2009 was observed from above along the east side of the reclamation. The area was partially covered with snow (mainly on the east side) but much of the snow on the west side of the reclamation has melted off. There was no water flowing off of the reclamation or in the Taylor tributary Ditch at the time of the inspection. There appeared to be some minor rilling in a few areas of the reclamation from runoff from the melting snow. This area will need to be watched closely this spring to ensure it remains stable. - There was a small tension crack in the East Pit at 4458663.76m North, 260710.971 m East, as shown on the attached map. This crack does not appear to be a problem at this time but the Division will continue to monitor it. General Mine Plan Compliance: - The 101 dragline is sitting on the East Pit highwall. No additional reclamation work has been completed and all power has been cut to the 101. - The 102 dragline was performing backfilling operations in the Taylor Draw area of the West Pit. Please see the "Backfilling and Grading" section for more detail. - The 103 dragline was also working in the West Pit removing F-Seam overburden. - The 114 shovel operation was in the South Taylor Pit box-cut moving B-Seam overburden, although it was down at the time of the inspection for scheduled maintenance.