2010-03-08_INSPECTION - M1999022

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(Page 2) MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID # M-1999-022 INSPECTION DATE 3/3/10 OBSERVATIONS INSPECTOR'S INITIALS RCO This inspection was performed by the Division as part of its monitoring of Construction Materials 110c permits. The operator was contacted about the scheduled inspection. The operator's representatives named on page one were present during the inspection. The posted permit ID sign bearing the former permittee's name was being replaced with a new sign containing the current operator's name. All permit boundary markers were in place. There has been no mining or processing activity at the site during the winter. The operator did, however, completely remove the contaminants and cleaned up the site from the degraded condition that was observed during the last inspection. The operator hand-delivered to this inspector the itemized receipts from the disposal facility where the removed items were taken. That problem has been abated. There are a few small stockpiles of material in the permitted area. There is no processing equipment and no excavation equipment on the site. The pit is used as a recharge pit during irrigation season, when it regularly receives surface irrigation water through a pipeline. The periodic recharge activity often fills the pit up to its capacity. The water level in the pit was observed during this inspection to be very low, estimated to be 20 feet or more lower than the surrounding grade. There is an equipment access ramp in the southern corner of the pit. The pit inslopes are all steeper than the approved gradient of 3:1. The operator is reminded that the slopes must be no steeper than 3:1 during mining and for final reclamation. This permit was recently transferred to the current operator, and it appears that the previous operator "over-excavated" the pit and steepened the sides excessively. Since the pit cannot be expanded to affect more area, either for mining more material or for dozing down material to reduce the slope gradient, the slopes must be reduced by backfilling material by placing it in the pit. As it stands now, the permit includes another 4.0-acre area which could supply the needed backfill material; that area is located across the concrete canal. The present operator must ensure that no further aggregate is removed from the pit. This situation is not noted as a problem, since the excavation and backfilling is covered by the existing bond. The operators discussed two significant changes that they wish to implement: the release of the 4.0 acres noted above, and the subsequent addition of 6.0 acres through an amendment to the permit. These two changes will involve separate actions which may applied for concurrently. To release the 4.0 acres, the operator must mail a formal release request to the Division, by following all the steps described in Construction Materials Rules 4.14 and 4.17. (The operator hand- delivered recent photos and a map of the area to be released, which do not have to re-supplied in the mailed materials.) Those rules may be found on the Division's website: www.mining.state.co.us/ An amendment is the addition of land to the permit, which is the second permit action. An application form was delivered to the operator and the amendment process was discussed during the inspection. All exhibits or information in the existing permit file that will not change under this amendment does not need to be resubmitted. But all revised materials, such as the maps of the new permit boundaries, will be required. Please contact this office if there are questions. Currently there are no problems at the site and the bond is sufficient. No further items were observed during the inspection. Responses to this inspection report should be directed to this inspector at the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, 691 County Road 233, Suite A-2, Durango, Colorado 81301. (Please note: As of 7/1/08 the Durango Field Office has a new address, shown above. Please revise your records as necessary.) I & E Contact Address cc: Steve Shuey, DRMS ? CE NAME Eddie Clayton ? BL OPERATOR Clayton Sand and Gravel ? FS STREET PO Box 2 ? HW CITY/STATE/ZIP Hooper, CO 81136 ? HMWMD (CH) ? SE ? WQCD (CH) ? OTHER