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December 7, 2012 C-1981-025/North Thompson Creek Mine BFB <br /> Inspection Topic Summary <br /> NOTE: Y=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable <br /> N -Air Resource Protection N -Roads <br /> N -Availability of Records N -Reclamation Success <br /> N -Backfill &Grading N -Revegetation <br /> N -Excess Spoil and Dev.Waste N - Subsidence <br /> N -Explosives N - Slides and Other Damage <br /> N -Fish &Wildlife N - Support Facilities On-site <br /> R -Hydrologic Balance N - Signs and Markers <br /> N -Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br /> N -Other N - Special Categories Of Mining <br /> N -Processing Waste N -Topsoil <br /> COMMENTS <br /> This was a partial inspection of the North Thompson Creek Mine conducted by Brock Bowles of the Colorado <br /> Division Reclamation,Mining and Safety. No company representative from MINREC, Inc. was present for the <br /> inspection. The weather conditions were overcast and cold. The ground was covered with a thin layer of snow <br /> and was mostly frozen. The purpose of this inspection was to follow up on the issue raised in the October 2012 <br /> inspection report about the discharge of Pond P9 off the permit area onto the surrounding grassland via a ditch <br /> rather than through the approved NPDES discharge point into North Thompson Creek. <br /> HYDROLOGIC BALANCE -Rule 4.05 <br /> 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; <br /> Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.13; <br /> Drainage—Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8; Impoundments 4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: <br /> The water discharge from Portals 41 and 43 was clear(photo 1). The long pond had standing water and <br /> appeared to be functioning properly. Pond T 1 was mostly free of ice (photo 2) and snow while T2 was snow <br /> covered(photo 3). Both ponds appeared to be working correctly and the berm appeared to be stable. The <br /> discharge from Pond T2 was directed through the open ditch to the approved Outfall 001. <br /> Water was not being directed to P9. The water surface in Pond P9 was frozen. Water was not discharging from <br /> P9 through the ditch(photo 4)as the ice/water level was below the ditch. Water was also not discharging through <br /> the approved outfall into North Thompson Creek. This may be a result of the water level being too low. The inlet <br /> of the discharge pipe was not located during this inspection due to snow cover,ice and a thick mat of grass (photo <br /> 5) and it will need to be located in the spring to ensure it is functioning properly. <br /> The issue of water being discharged from P9 and the permit area through an unapproved NPDES discharge point, <br /> raised in the October 2012 inspection report,has been resolved. <br /> DOCUMENTS RECEIVED: None <br /> Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 2 <br /> Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br /> Page 2 of 4 <br />