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May 25, 2011 C-1 980-007/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 /> Y -Air Resource Protection Y -Roads <br /> N -Availability of Records N -Reclamation Success <br /> N -Backfill&Grading N -Revegetation <br /> N -Excess Spoil and Dev.Waste N - Subsidence <br /> N -Explosives N - Slides and Other Damage <br /> N -Fish&Wildlife R -Support Facilities On-site <br /> R -Hydrologic Balance N - Signs and Markers <br /> N -Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br /> N -Other N - Special Categories Of Mining <br /> R -Processing Waste N -Topsoil <br /> COMMENTS <br /> This was a partial inspection conducted by Tom Kaldenbach of DRMS. Christy Hulsman of the Office of Surface <br /> Mining conducted an oversight inspection. Ryan Sweetwater represented the mine operator. <br /> Selected photographs taken during the inspection are attached to the end of this report. <br /> With the operator's consent, this report was issued from the Denver office of DRMS. <br /> HYDROLOGIC BALANCE -Rule 4.05 Drainage 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 ground was wet from rain that the operator's representative said fell the day and night before the <br /> inspection.Rain water was puddled at many locations on roads and other disturbed areas in the Main Surface <br /> Facilities Area and in Sylvester Gulch. The rock socks and rigid silt fences that recently were installed in the ditch <br /> next to the Sylvester Gulch Road had much sediment trapped behind them. <br /> The underground mine water pumping site in Sylvester Gulch(outfall 017)was not discharging. Pond MB-5E <br /> was also not discharging. Pond MB-5E was in good shape with embankments appearing stable. <br /> The lower cell of the two-cell, lined Refuse Pile Expansion pond was discharging a small amount of water. Pen- <br /> meter measurements were: pH 8.1,electroconductivity 890 mmhos/cm, and temperature 21 degrees C. <br /> Flow visually estimated at less than 25 gpm was discharging from the SG-1 pond(CDPS outfall 014). The flow <br /> went into the channel of Sylvester Gulch immediately downhill from the pond where it mixed with a much larger <br /> flow of water from a natural spring and runoff from undisturbed areas. Pen-meter measurements of the 014 <br /> Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year, ending 6/30/11: 8 <br /> Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br /> Page 2 of 7 <br />