2011-10-18_INSPECTION - C1981025 (2)

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October 12, 2011 C -1981 -025 /North Thompson Creek Mine BFB Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 0 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 2 Page 2 of 6 Inspection Topic Summary NOTE: Y =Inspected N =Not Inspected R =Comments Noted V =Violation Issued NA =Not Applicable N - Air Resource Protection R - Availability of Records N - Backfill & Grading N - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste N - Explosives N - Fish & Wildlife R - Hydrologic Balance N - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan R - Other N - Processing Waste R - Roads R - Reclamation Success R - Revegetation N - Subsidence N - Slides and Other Damage N - Support Facilities On -site R - Signs and Markers N - Support Facilities Not On -site N - Special Categories Of Mining N - Topsoil COMMENTS INTRODUCTION – This was a complete inspection of the North Thompson Creek Mine conducted by Brock Bowles of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety on October 12, 2011. No representative from Minrec, Inc. was present. Technical Revision 2 6 (TR -26) was submitted to the Division on September 26, 2011 by Minrec, Inc. to change the outflow pipe from Pond T2 to Outfall 001to a ditch due to frequent clogging. Weather conditions were sunny and warm and ground conditions were damp. AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS – Rule 5.02.4(1): All of the necessary records were in the records room at the Garfield County Court House in Glenwood Springs. See the Availability of Records form at the end of this inspection for more detailed information . HY DROLOGIC BALANCE - Rule 4.05 Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, 4.05.6; Discharge Structures 4.05.7, 4.05.10; Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.1 3; Drainage – Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; Impoundments 4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: Portals #1 and #3 were discharging clear water into the long pond. The grass in the area of the discharge was stained red, but no red staining was n oted elsewhere in the long pond. The berm around the long pond was well vegetated and appeared to be stable. Ponds T1 and T2 had water and there were no signs of red staining. At the discharge of pond T2, a cap was placed over the pipe leading to outfa ll 001 directing water to P9 (photo 1). The water went through a sh ort length of pipe to a connect ing ditch and eventually to P9. P9 had about 3 feet of water but was not discharging. The overflow channel on the east end of P9 was recently cleaned (phot o 2). The pipe between pond T2 and outfall 001 was still removed and water flowed through the ditch despite the cap on the inlet pipe at the out flow of pond T2 . OTHER (SPECIFY): Upon arrival, approximately 12 head of cattle were in the west end of t he long pond browsing and 4 head were in P9. The presence of cattle in the mine area should be considered when designing the T2 discharge ditch.