_INSPECTION - C1981008 ‎(44)‎

• Permit No: C1981008
• IBM Index Class Name: INSPECTION
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 4/27/2010
• Email Name: MLT
• Email Name: SB1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

III. COMMENTS -COMPLIANCE
Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made
during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection
and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action.
This was an Aerial Inspection of the New Horizon Mine conducted by the DRMS on 27
April 2010 at approximately 12:00 p.m. Photos were subsequently reviewed by Marcia
Talvitie of the DBMS. Skies were clear.
Hydrologic Balance
• Ponds 007 and 008 contained water, but the surface elevation was below that at
which discharge will occur through the principal spillways.
• Pond 011 (Photo 1) receives inflow indirectly from pit dewatering activities via a set of
flexible pipes that carry pumped flow around the southwestern perimeter of the
permit area and into an elevated water storage tank. Water in the tank is available
for dust control activities, and overflow from the tank proceeds into Pond 011. Pond
011 discharged continuously throughout the previous winter.
Support Facilities
• The Facilities area includes various buildings, a heavy equipment shop, material
storage, and bulk fuel storage area (Photo 2). The entire area appears to be neat
and well organized. No evidence of petroleum contamination can be seen.
Topsoil
• Topsoil Stockpiles 1, 3, 4 and 5, which were constructed prior to 1995, are located
immediately south of the heavy equipment shop (Photo 2). The vegetative cover
appears to be adequate on stockpiles 3 and 4, but not as well established on piles 1
and 5. Vegetative cover will be examined more closely during subsequent
inspections on the ground.
• Material stockpiled during the excavation of Pond 011 in the fall of 2007 was initially
placed in two piles immediately east of the pond. The easternmost pile, which has
been already removed, consisted of a mixture of A and B topsoil lifts, while
overburden (Bench 1) was stockpiled closest to the pond. Topsoil stripping
operations have reached the Bench 1 stockpile. It appears that a quantity of Mixed
A and B remains along the northern flank of the Bench 1 pile (Photo 1). The material
in this smaller stockpile must be handled separately from the Bench 1 material, and
live-hauled to or stockpiled on Morgan property east of the pit.
• At the back side of the pit, on the Lloyd parcel, long windrows of topsoil (salvaged
from ahead of mining operations) have been dumped and appear to be ready for
distribution across the surface of replaced Bench 1 material (Photo 3). It cannot be
confirmed, from the photos,that the regraded spoil (Bench 1 material) beneath these
windrows was scarified or ripped prior to the topsoil being dumped. Page
2.05.4(2)(d)-11 of the permit states that, "Prior to topsoil replacement, the regraded
spoil within mined areas will be scarified by deep ripping or chisel plowing on the
contour to a depth of 12 to 24 inches to reduce excessive compaction...". This
requirement is applicable to all regraded spoils.
New Horizon Mine C-1981-008 27-Apr-2010
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