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OBSERVATIONS <br />PERMIT #: M -1991 -074 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: TCW <br />INSPECTION DATE: September 18, 2012 <br />This was a normal monitoring inspection conducted by TC Wait of DRMS. The mine operator representative <br />present was Mr. Rodney Hopkins of Kiowa County. The site is located about 5 miles west of Eads. Post -mine <br />land use for this site is rangeland. The permit area is approximately 35 acres. <br />At the time of the inspection, the site was dry. The permit signs were in place and the boundary markers were <br />delineated with earthen berms and piles. There is pre -law disturbance east of the permit area, and portions <br />(about 2 acres) of the southeastern mine area have been reclaimed. <br />The site is still being actively mined. Mr. Hopkins estimated about 20 -25 truckloads /day being hauled over the <br />course of 23 days for the past several years. The mine highwall extends approximately 1500 feet around the <br />perimeter of the site and is about 20 -25 ft in height with near vertical slopes. Mining is working to the west, <br />and will soon be moving north to do another path to the west. Older workings are located on the south and <br />east sides of the mine. <br />Topsoil is stockpiled along the north and west sides of the highwall. The topsoil is sparsely vegetated. At the <br />time of the 1997 and 2006 inspections, the operator was also cited that the topsoil stockpiles were not <br />vegetated or have other means of controlling erosion per Rule 3.1.9. This is apparently still a problem that <br />the operator needs to address with corrective action. <br />No portion of the site has been reclaimed as of yet. Native vegetation is slowly establishing in some areas. <br />Page 2 of 4 <br />