2011-12-19_INSPECTION - C1981008 ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: C1981008
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Date: 12/19/2011
• Doc Name: Email sent to Operator with Inspection Report sent via Email ‎(Cover sheet)‎
• From: DRMS
• To: Ross Gubka
• Inspection Date: 12/12/2011
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

December 12 -15 , 2011 C -1981 -008 /New Horizon Mine MLT

Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 5
Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 2 Page 4 of 8

made, and distribute the draft text to WFC, OSM and DRMS personnel for review and
comment.

Partial Inspection
A routine partial inspection was conducted by Marc ia Talvitie and Jared Ebert on Thursday
morning, December 15. Ross Gubka was available to escort us on the mine property. The sky
was clear and the conditions were chilly.

EXPLOSIVES – Rule 4.08
Distance Prohibitions 4.08.4; Warnings 4.08.4; Control of Adverse Effects 4.08.4:
 On Tuesday, December 13, an interburden blast was shot on the Western Fuels parcel north
of BB Road. The blast was clearly visible from our vantage point on top of the Lift B. We
did not observe any yellowish smoke, indicating inc omplete combustion of the ANFO, but
due to the direction of the wind, we detected a light, sulfurous odor a few minutes after the
blast.

FISH and WILDLIFE – Rule 4.18:
 Mule deer were sighted frequently throughout the permit area and surrounding vicinity, each
of the four days on site.
 On December 14, we observed at least four large groups of Canada geese flying overhead,
from west to east.

GENERAL MINE PLAN COMPLANCE:
 During the December 15 inspection, Mr. Gubka drove us down into the pit to show us the
highwall. He explained that the coal quality is diminishing on the Morgan property as the pit
moves westward. There is an increase in stringers of shal e y material within the Lower
Dakota seam.
 Bench 2 overburden (which requires blasting) is presently run ning at 52 feet thick on the
Morgan property and 22 feet thick on the Western Fuels property.

ROADS – Rule 4.03
Construction 4.03.1(3) / 4.03.2(3); Drainage 4.03.1(4) / 4.03.2(4); Surfacing and M aintenance
4.03.1(5) and (6) / 4.03.2(5) and (6); Reclamatio n 4.03.1(7) / 4.03.2(7):
 The Haul Road surfaces were somewhat slick due to the snow that fell during the week. A
motor grader was utilized to trim the wet surface material, pushing it aside to create a more
secure driving surface.

SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF M INING – Rules 4.22 through 4.27:
Rule 4.25 - Prime Farmland
 Lift B subsoil salvaged in the most recent campaign had been stockpiled separately from, and
immediately west of, the existing large Lift B stockpile (Photo 6 ). This material was already
represen ted by the sampling of Undisturbed soil that took place on November 22, 2011;
piling it separately eliminated the potential of its being incorporated into the sampling of the
stockpiles that was to (and did) occur during this inspection.