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MINE ID # OR PROSPECTING ID #: m_1999-nA9 <br />INSPECTION DATE: 3-31-2n1n INSPECTORS INITIALS: 11F <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was a surety reduction (SR-01) inspection of the 83rd Joint Venture Resources site operated by Aggregate Industries <br />WCR - Inc. This site is located approximately one mile northwest of Greeley, Colorado in Weld County. b Jared Ebert of <br />the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety conducted the inspection. Mrs. Connie Davis of Aggregate <br />Industries WCR - Inc. accompanied me on the inspection. <br />The earthwork at the site has been completed and the Operator is conducting the final steps of reclamation. The <br />current approved reclamation plan calls for the creation of two large lakes (an eastern lake and a western lake), a small <br />pond at the southern end of the western lake, upland areas and wetland benches. The final configuration of the site is <br />different than the current approved reclamation plan. For example, the two main lakes final configurations are <br />different, and a small one acre pond is in place at the southern end of the eastern lake as opposed to the western lake. <br />The wetland benches appear to be much larger than what is currently approved. Large portions of the eastern lake have <br />been backfilled with material and an additional wetland area has been created at the very eastern end of the permit <br />area where the eastern lake was to extend. This issue is cited as a problem at the send of the report and will require <br />corrective actions to be taken by the Operator. Aggregate Industries WCR - Inc. will need to submit a Technical <br />Revision to the current approved reclamation plan to update the current site configuration. This Technical Revision is <br />discussed in further detail below. <br />Even though the overall shape, location and configuration of the lakes, ponds, uplands and wetlands have changed it <br />appears the Operator has graded the pit slopes to the required 3:1 horizontal to vertical ratio or less. There did not <br />appear to be any stockpiles of material left in place and the processing/plant site has been removed except for a small <br />piece of processing equipment at the entrance to the mine site. In terms of the revegetation requirement, the Operator <br />has seeded the site. Only a small amount of grass has begun to establish at this time. It appears Kochia and other <br />annual weeds have volunteered into the site. According to Mrs. Davis, they have taken steps to manage these weed <br />infestations such a chemical and mechanical mowing treatments. At this time the Operator is required to plant 16 <br />clusters of trees and shrubs at designated locations throughout the permit area. For each cluster, the Operator <br />committed to planting five trees and ten shrubs. The Operator provided a list of species of trees and shrubs they may <br />choose to plant. One of the trees included in the planting list was Russian olive. This tree is considered noxious and <br />should not be planted. Several Russian olive trees have volunteered into the bottorn of the western lake. Given these <br />trees will likely be inundated with water when the lake is full, this issue will not be cited as a problem at this time. <br />However, the Operator should monitor the site and take measures to prevent the spread of these trees to the <br />surrounding reclaimed areas. Overall the site appears stable; the Operator has installed several erosion control rip-rap <br />structures at several locations around the lake slopes to control several erosion gullies that have formed. Several small <br />areas of the southern pit slopes of the western lake have sloughed slightly (See Figure 18. and the attached map). These <br />areas will need to be repaired and the slopes re-graded to the required 3:1 ratio. Mrs. Davis noted these areas and said <br />they would be repaired. A map highlighting the Division's findings is enclosed with this report. <br />Given the amount of reclamation that has been completed, the Operator is eligible for a surety reduction. The current <br />bond amount is $249,008.00. This can be reduced to the cost of revegetation of the site (grass seeding and tree <br />planting), conducting weed control measures and the various indirect costs in the un-likely event of permit revocation <br />and financial warranty forfeiture. The Division has estimated this cost to be $71,404.00. <br />Given the final configuration of the site has changed as discussed above; the Operator will need to update the current <br />approved reclamation plan map to depict the current configuration of the site. This will need to be done by submitting a <br />Technical Revision to change the current approved reclamation plan. The annual report map submitted to the Division <br />dated January 26th, 2009 depicts a fairly accurate configuration of the site at this time except the small pond located at <br />the southern end of the eastern lake. The Division recommends modifying this map to depict the current configurations <br />of the site and to include all the necessary components of a reclamation plan map. Also, Mrs. Davis mentioned that