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(Page 2) <br />MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: M-1977-1-51 <br />INSPECTION DATE: 3/16.11n INSPECTOR=S INITIALS: MAC <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />The inspection was conducted by Michael Cunningham of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). Rex Hiner of R. M. Hiner Construction Co., Inc. was also present for the inspection. The Greeley Pit <br />is located approximately 2 miles north of Greeley, Colorado. The site is permitted for 170 acres and the post- <br />mining land use is recreation. <br />The permit sign was posted at the entrance to the site and the boundary of the affected area was clearly <br />delineated by the fence line as required by Rule 3.1.12. No mining was taking place at the time of the <br />inspection. The site is being mined in 3 phases and will contain four (4) unlined ponds upon completion of <br />reclamation. Currently the site contains 4 excavations and all of them contain exposed groundwater. <br />The site contained two (2) unlined ponds when a permit was issued in 1977. The pre-existing ponds are located <br />in Phase I of the mining operation. The pond in the southwest corner of the site is approximately 21.5 acres in <br />size. The pit walls of the southwest pond extend approximately ten (10) feet above the bank full level. As noted <br />in prior inspection reports, the pit walls of the southwest pond are steeper than 3H:1 V. However, the Division <br />considers the disturbance to be pre-law and therefore the pond is not subject to the reclamation requirements of <br />the Construction Materials Rules and Regulations. The Operator should note that any portion of the pond that is <br />altered from its pre-law condition will be subject to the Division's reclamation standards, including grading the <br />pit walls to 3H:1 V. The second pre-existing pond is located in the southeast corner of the site, in Phase I. The <br />southeast pond is approximately 5.75 acres in size. The Operator has backfilled a portion of the southeast pond, <br />creating a smaller pond than is shown on the Reclamation Plan Map. <br />Phase II of the mining operation is located on the east side of the site, north of Phase I. Phase II has been mined <br />out and partially reclaimed to 40 acre pond. The pit slopes of the northeast pond have been graded to 3H:1 V and <br />the shorelines have been seeded. The vegetation around the northeast pond consists mainly of annual weeds <br />along with some riparian vegetation. Phase III of the mining operation is located in the northwest corner of the <br />site, no disturbance has occurred in this phase. <br />Current mining operations are taking place in Phase I between the southeast and the southwest ponds. The active <br />mining area is less than an acre in size and extraction is progressing to the west. According to the Operator, the <br />active mining area will connect to the east end of the southwest pond. The Reclamation Plan Map on file with <br />the Division does not represent the current configuration of the ponds. This has been cited as a problem and will <br />require corrective action by the Operator, please see Page 4 of this report for the corrective action. <br />At present there are approximately 68 acres of exposed groundwater at the Greeley Pit. Upon reviewing the <br />permit file, it was determined the Operator does not have a well permit and substitute water supply plan or a <br />court approved augmentation plan, this has been cited as a problem. Please see Page 4 of this report for the <br />required corrective actions. As noted earlier, the groundwater in the southwest and southeast ponds was exposed <br />prior to 1977. As a result, the water exposed prior to 1981 is exempt from replacement requirements under the <br />grandfather provision of Senate Bill 120. The Operator is still responsible for replacing the evaporative <br />depletions of the groundwater exposed after 1981. <br />(Page 3)