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Mine Site Evaluation <br />Mine Name: New Horizon <br />Permittee: Western Fuels- Colorado <br />Permit ID #: C- 1981 -008 <br />Inspection Date: December 12'h — 14`h, 20117:00 — 3:30 <br />Weather Conditions: Overcast, temps below freezing, thin snow cover with occasional light snow <br />Participants: <br />Christine Belka, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) badge #182 <br />Aaron DeJoia, Key Agricultural Services (Key Ag) <br />Andrew Harley, Key Ag <br />Amy McGregor, OSM <br />Michael Morgan, Landowner <br />Chuck Peacock, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (Monday only) <br />Bob Rayer, NRCS (Monday only) <br />Marcia Talvitie, Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS) <br />JoEllen Turner, Landowner (Monday only) <br />Lance Wade, Western Fuels- Colorado (WFC) <br />Tad Wesley, Key Ag <br />This was a partial oversight inspection. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor soil sampling <br />activities on the Morgan property soil stockpiles. Western Fuels employees operated the backhoe to dig <br />all test pits. Jonathan and Darren Gonzales of ACI Services, Inc. operated the geoprobe to collect the <br />drilled soil samples. Soil scientists from Key Agricultural Services ( "Key Ag" — the contractor hired by <br />WFC) checked each sample for reactivity with dilute hydrochloric acid and bagged each sample for <br />laboratory analysis. Representatives from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service observed <br />sampling activities on Monday. Michael Morgan (landowner) was present and observed sampling <br />activities all three days. JoEllen Turner (landowner) was present for the first half of the day on Monday. <br />Ms. Turner, landowner, voiced her concerns regarding the soil material balance and rock content of the <br />soil. Ms. Turner believes a significant quantity of Morgan property soil was removed and placed (spread <br />and stockpiled) on adjacent landowners' property, leaving the Morgan property with less soil than <br />existed in its native state. Ms. Turner is also concerned with the rock content of the soil in the area that <br />has been regraded and topsoiled. This area received Bench 1 suitable subsoil substitute and mixed lift <br />topsoil. We did observe large (some >12 ") rock fragments on the ground surface and within the test pits <br />on the reclaimed area. Many of what appeared to be rocks were frozen soil clods; however, rocks were <br />present in this area. <br />Mine staff flagged ten drill locations on each of the three large soil stockpiles (Lift A, Lift B, and Mixed <br />Topsoil). The flagged locations appeared consistent with Map 2.04.9 -3, Soil Sampling Locations — <br />Morgan Property. ACI representatives used the geoprobe to collect samples in 5' increments to the <br />depth of the pile at each of the 30 locations. The large stockpile depths ranged from approximately 15' <br />to 40'. Key Ag representatives tested each boring for reactivity with dilute hydrochloric acid (testing for <br />