Laserfiche WebLink
PERMIT #: P-2011-002 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: RCO <br />INSPECTION DATE: May 19, 2011 <br />OBSERVATIONS <br />This was a pre-operation inspection of a prospecting project site, to be carried out on unpatented claims <br />(national forest land). The operator was not present, and the US Forest Service was not present. The plan is <br />to develop four drill pads on or near existing roads or pre-law disturbance. All four drill pad sites were staked. <br />The drill pads must be sufficiently large for the equipment and level, but the terrain is sloped, so cut and fill <br />will be needed for creating most of the drill pad areas. Two of the sites, #1 and #3, will also require cut and fill <br />access spurs to be built. The operator must ensure that all topsoil is salvaged and protected, that all side cast <br />material from the earthwork is carefully handled and stabilized (so that offsite areas are protected from <br />erosion and sedimentation and that the material is available for reclamation recontouring), and that all <br />necessary sediment control structures are in place, ready to protect the undisturbed land nearby. <br />Backfilling & Grading: <br />The earthwork that will be necessary to develop the four drill pads should be minimized wherever possible. <br />Pad #1 and its access spur will likely involve the most earthwork to develop and to reclaim. All cut and fill <br />must be contained on the unpatented claim CME#15 (and not on the adjacent Ontario claim), must stay above <br />the existing road, with no sediment allowed to encroach on Rat Creek. See additional road notes, below. <br />Pad #2 will not need much earthwork since it is on an old mine entrance bench and accessible via existing trail. <br />The trail leading to pad #2 is intact but presently impassable due to rocks and debris that have sloughed from <br />an historic structure and old mine dump that are adjacent to the trail; after clearing it, it does not appear that <br />the trail needs to be widened or otherwise improved. The pad area cannot be expanded much since it hosts a <br />safeguarded entrance to an historic mine, which cannot be disturbed during drilling and must remain after <br />reclamation. Likewise the operator must comply with USFS requirements regarding disturbance to the historic <br />wood structure along the road. <br />Pad #3 is in an old slot near the existing "main" road, but there is no easy access to it since it is elevated above <br />the road level. (See additional road notes below.) The widening of the slot to accommodate the pad area <br />does not seem to conform perfectly to the map in the file: the east side of the slot will be cut, but the west <br />side will largely be a side cast fill (or hauled down to the switchback for storage). The operator must take care <br />not to lose sloughing material down the hill slope. Several established trees will need to be cut to allow access <br />to this site, and the operator must dispose of the slash per the USFS requirements. <br />Pad #4 is on the existing roadway at the switchback. It offers the most operating space on the most level <br />terrain. It is presumed that no earthwork will be needed to begin operations here. However, the operator <br />must ensure that no sediment or debris is allowed to slough down the hill and the historic portal structure <br />must not be disturbed. <br />Roads: <br />The file includes a set of maps showing all the existing roads to be used for access to the drill pads, as well as <br />where some access spur roads will need to be built (for pads #1 and #3). The access spur leading up to pad #1 <br />can be simple cut and fill. The access spur to pad #3 will be a little more difficult, probably requiring some cut <br />material to be temporarily placed on the existing roadway on or near the switchback (which is also pad #4). <br />Page 2 of 5