_INSPECTION - C1981008 (45) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Bench 1 material from the Morgan property onto the Lloyd property. DBMS previously directed WFC to retain all Morgan Property Bench 1 Material on the Morgan Property. WFC agreed to this direction, and this must be reflected in the permit, • On the Morgan property, areas previously backfilled with Bench 1 material routinely endure heavy vehicle traffic - from pickup and service trucks to front-end loaders and mine haul trucks. The result of this traffic is an extremely firm, well-compacted surface. While this surface may be highly desirable from a mine operations perspective, it is not conducive to the successful re-establishment of vegetation. • Photos taken from the vantage point of the Lift B stockpile, depict the ripping pattern made in Bench 1 "suitable subsoil" prior to re-distribution of "Mixed" topsoil in the fall of 2009 (Photo 2). The ripped furrows are parallel to one another, and the area between the furrows appears to be greater than the area that was actually ripped. If the pattern exposed is representative of the ripping effort across the entire topsoiled area, the Division questions whether that effort is sufficient to have the desired effect on areas that have been heavily trafficked. Page 2.05.4(2)(d)-11 of the permit (revised Nov 2008) 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... and improve water and air movement and root growth across the topsoil/spoil interface... The resultant loamy textured spoil will possess suitable physical qualities which are conducive to plant growth." For heavily compacted areas such as the Morgan property, especially where Bench 1 material is being used as "suitable subsoil", the deeper 24" ripping depth should be used, and cross ripping should be employed, to ensure that the entire surface of the replaced Bench 1 material is adequately loosened. • In accordance with the permit, as quoted above, the footprints of the various topsoil stockpiles will not be exempted from the requirement for ripping of the regraded spoil. Excessive compaction will have occurred beneath the stockpiles, and it will be critical that the entire stockpile be removed during reclamation in order to expose and rip or chisel the regraded spoil beneath. • During excavation of Pond 011 in Oct-Nov 2007, two stockpiles were created. Lifts A and B topsoil were salvaged together and placed in the easternmost stockpile. Overburden was stockpiled separately, immediately east of the pond. Mining operations to date have progressed westward through the area originally occupied by the topsoil stockpile. According to the 17-Aug-2009 inspection report, WFC and Mike Morgan agreed that the mixed A & B topsoil would be stockpiled with Lift B topsoil and the overburden stockpile would be incorporated into the pit backfill. The small mixed lift topsoil stockpile has been removed and placed in the Lift B Topsoil Stockpile. A portion of the overburden pile remains in place along the highwall, and the material is being loaded and hauled for backfilling in the mined out pit as the mine advances. Topsoil Topsoil removal and stockpiling operations for the prime farmland areas are discussed above. On nonprime farm land, mixed lift soil salvage operations had been completed in advance of the pit to the north of BB Road. Dark brown surface horizons and lighter brown subsurface horizons were salvaged down to the buff to gray colored Bench 1 substrate, which thins substantially to the north of BB road. Soil thickness appeared to vary considerably over short distances along the area in advance of the pit, ranging from 8 to 18" in the area observed. The permit requires that an average stripping depth of 19.6 inches of combined Lift A and Lift B in non prime farm land soils. General Mine Plan Compliance • The drill rig was drilling on the Morgan property, near the southern limit of the new cut. • The shovel was located on the pit floor at the northern end of the pit, on WFC/Lloyd New Horizon Mine C-1981-008 3-May-2010 -4-