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STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, MINING AND SAFETY <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman St, Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 .O oO <br />Phone: (303) 866-3567 DIVISION <br />RECLAMATION <br />FAX: (303) 832.8106 MINING <br /> <br /> SAFETY <br />DATE: May 17, 2010 <br /> Bill Ritter, Jr. <br /> Govemw <br />TO: Wally Erickson <br /> James B Martin <br />Executive Director <br />FROM: Allen Sorenson Loretta E. Aineda <br /> Director <br />RE: Idaho Mine Access Road, Wildcat Mining Corporation, File No. M-2010-003 <br />The Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS) engineering staff has reviewed those portions of the Idaho <br />Mine permit application relating to the proposed access road from County Road 124 to the La Plata River. The <br />Applicant proposes a road stability field investigation and provides a list of what the scope of work for the field <br />investigation will include. The list states that subsurface conditions in key areas will be explored by excavation of up <br />to six test pits up to ten feet deep, and that laboratory testing of samples from the test pits will include strength, <br />classification, and moisture/density determination. Proposed test pit locations are not specified and laboratory test <br />methods to be employed are not identified. Wildcat Mining Corporation wants to conduct the road stability field <br />investigation the week of May 17, 2010; DRMS has identified the following issues. <br />1. DRMS requires that the first step in the road stability field investigation be repair and replacement of storm water <br />controls to best management practice standards. <br />2. Once storm water controls are in place, DRMS authorizes Wildcat Mining Corporation to proceed with the road <br />stability field investigation. However, without information on the locations for proposed test pits, sample collection <br />and handling protocols, and specific laboratory test methods to be employed, DRMS makes no up-front <br />determinations as to whether or not the information collected will be suitable for permitting purposes. <br />3. DRMS will require measurement of in-place density of road fill for any analytical demonstration of fill stability. <br />4. DRMS has observed indications of instability of the existing road. By authorizing Wildcat Mining Corporation to <br />proceed with the road stability field investigation (once storm water controls are in place), DRMS has not and will not <br />make any determination as to whether the road is safe to enter and conduct the investigation. <br />The permit application in Exhibit C states that following the analysis of results of the road stability field investigation, <br />a report will be prepared "summarizing evaluation results, conclusion and recommendation regarding road stability <br />and serviceability." This report will be the critical component of the permit application for determination of whether <br />the road can be included in a mined land reclamation permit. DRMS has issued three previous memoranda on the <br />proposed access road, which are enclosed. <br />enclosure(s) <br />cc: Mike Clements, Wildcat Mining Corporation <br />George Robinson, R-Squared, via email <br />C:\ars flies\My Documents 419-06 thru\idaho fourth road review.doa <br />Office of Office of <br />Mined Land Reclamation Denver - Grand Junction • Durango Active and inactive mines