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March 29, 2011 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine TAK <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable <br />N - Air Resource Protection <br />N - Availability of Records <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />NA - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />N -Explosives <br />N - Fish & Wildlife <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />N - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />NA - Other <br />N - Processing Waste <br />N - Roads <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />R - Slides and Other Damage <br />N - Support Facilities On-site <br />N - Signs and Markers <br />NA -.Support Facilities Not On-site <br />NA - Special Categories Of Mining <br />N -Topsoil <br />COMMENTS <br />This was a partial inspection conducted by Tom Kaldenbach of the DRMS. Ryan Sweetwood represented the <br />operator. <br />The site was partially snow-covered and was wet from snowmelt. The higher elevations were not accessible due <br />to snow cover. <br />HYDROLOGIC BALANCE - Rule 4.05Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, <br />4.05.6; Discharge Structures 4.05.7, 4.05.10; Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water <br />Monitoring 4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Drainage - Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; <br />Impoundments 4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: <br />The operator is replacing straw bales in many of the ditches with a synthetic filter material. <br />The mine water pumping site in Sylvester Gulch (CDPS outfall 017) was not discharging. <br />SLIDES and DAMAGE - Rule 4.12: <br />Soil and rock continues to slough off of the slope above the old road (now closed) that extended from the coal <br />stockpile area to Pond MB-5E (the road was located between the slope/cliff and the river). The operator explains <br />that the slope is part of an existing landslide that has historically threatened this site. Culvert C1-5 was the only <br />(linear) mine-related disturbance down this slope. The original C 1-5 culvert was CMP and was buried. The CMP <br />was later replaced with a HDPE pipe that was laid on the ground surface (photos 3 and 4 in DRMS inspection <br />report of 4/16/08). Both culverts have since been removed. A berm keeps sloughed soil materials and sediment <br />from entering the river The slope is next to the rockfall area noted in the operator's 2006 subsidence report. The <br />2006 subsidence report says the road was unused. <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year (ending 6/30/11): 6 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year (ending 6/30/11): 3 <br />Page 2 of 3