it is just an ore bin and may soon be "history..."

8/14/2019 It is just an ore bin and may soon be "history..."

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Its just an ore bin

One of many that dot Utahs mining landscape. This particular one is located in Sec 4, T 34S R

1E, at the top of the intersection of Corn Creek Road with Main (Old Escalante) Road [about the

middle of the Griffin Point 7.5 minute USGS Quad map at Lat 37.79128 Lon -111.79234--these

coordinates might be 200 ft off as the mine according to DOGM map is 200ft to the NW of this

coordinate] It was part of a coal mining operation in the area west of Escalante, Utah. The coal

mine was reclaimed years ago by the Utah AMRP, part of the DOGM. DOGM claims to

preserve what mining history they can, while ensuring public safety. However, in a recently

released, then cancelled construction bid [PM 9002] the DOGM is asking for quotes to remove

this ore bin from the area. Public safety? The DOGM documents suggest this collapsed ore bin

was left in place after a previous reclamation and was safe then, but now, they want it

removed. Sensitivity to history?The bid document explains that this site is NR eligible, meaning

someone has previously determined this site to be eligible for inclusion in the National Register

of Historic Places. Yet the bid specifications indicate that the contractor will be allowed to

salvage and remove and/or dispose of this ore bin at the sole discretion of the contractor. In

essence, the DOGM is giving the ore bin to the contractor. The wood, the metal fasteners,

everything remaining of the ore bin is going to be the contractors property.

Since when is the DOGM in the business of giving away mining history? They claim it is at the

request and with the landowners permission. In this case, it is the Dixie National Forest, USFS,

Division of the Department of Agriculture. But in reality it is yours and mine. It belongs to the

taxpayers of these United States. I didnt give permission to donate my ore bin to an as yet-to-

be-named contractor, did you? Has any city, county, or state agency been asked if they want

this ore bin? [Granted, its condition is described as collapsed, but still, a relic is a relic.] If you or

I tried taking it home and setting it up in our backyard, we would be arrested and charged with

violating the 1906 Antiquities Act and possibly also charged with stealing government

property. But under the terms of this contract, the successful bidder will be able to legally doexactly that which we cannot. Doesnt any city, county, or state agency wish to salvage this tiny

piece of Utah mining history for study and/or interpretation? If so, act fast, the bid may reopen

and close again before you know it! Anyone interested in photographing this piece of history

should do so now, before its too late.


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FOREST SERVICE

12

Schow Mine

Winkler Mine

Dry Fork MineNorth Corn Creek

Cherry Creek Mine

Alvey Wash Prospect

F Legend! Mine Feature

USGS Roads

FORESTSERVICE

Subareas

Monument Boundary

Grand Staircase-Escalante

Subarea 1

Subarea 2Subarea 3

Subarea 4

Subarea 5

12

89

143

276

14

9

20

11

63

2762 0 21 Miles

P:\GROUPS\AMR\WP\Projects\017Garfield\907GSENM2\Maps\Page05-Subrea4.mxd8/27/2008 @9:27:46 AM

NAD 1983 UTM Zone 12N

Department of Natural ResourcesDivision of Oil, Gas and Mining

Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program

1:100,000Map 5

AMR/017/907

Subarea 4

Sub-area Location Map

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HO002

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HO001

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HO001 Alvey Mine

HO002 Schow Mine

HO001 Shurtz Mine

HO003 Winkler Mine

HO002 Alvey Wash Prospect

HO001 Alvey Wash Prospect

HO002 West Alvey Mine Site

HO001 Richards Mine

Schow, RichardsShurtz, Winkler, Alvey

& West Alvey Mines

Dixie National Forest

North CornCreek Mine

Dry Fork Mine

Cherry Creek Mine

State of Utah Bid PM9002

Sep 4, 2008 9:55:28 AM MDT p. 371


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campsite/parking spot 100 feet south of the road next to the Birch Creek. Park here andcontinue on foot or ATV. Cross the creek and find a faint road overgrown by sage headingsouth/southwest toward a canyon and leading to a switchback cut into the east side of thecanyon. Follow this road for 1.9 miles across a pinyon-juniper forested plateau and dropping

into Cherry Creek Canyon at the mine site.

FeaturesThe work at this site consists of maintenance of a previously closed adit and backfilling arecently formed sinkhole. The adit was closed with a stone wall and covered with backfill. A1.5 ft x 2 ft hole has developed in the backfill that extends at least 15 feet into the backfill andopens into larger void. The stone wall is not visible. The hole is located about 30 feet up thehill to the north of the end of the access road.

The sinkhole is located on the hillside approximately 60 feet west of the end of the accessroad. The sinkhole measures approximately 16 ft by 20 ft and from 5 to 17 ft deep. Thesinkhole has shaley, friable walls and widens at depth to expose drifts to the northwest andnortheast.

WorkThe site and features are accessible by foot, ATV, and trackhoe.

4350108HO001: Maintenance, Hand backfillThe CONTRACTOR shall hand backfill filling the hole and any void in front of a stone wall.The hole may need to be widened in order to access the void. It is estimated that 1.5 cubicyards of material will be required to complete the backfill.

4350108SH001: Exclusion, Machine backfillThe CONTRACTOR shall exclude bats from the two drifts in the sinkhole prior to any closureactivity in accordance with Technical Specification 0250 Mine Closures.

It is anticipated that this backfill will be completed with a track hoe or similar machine usingnearby material and scaling back the brow of the sinkhole. Drifts are to be filled in to a depth

of approximately two times their height if accessible. Sidewalls can be left at no steeper thana 1:1 slope. It is estimated that approximately 75.0 cubic yards of material will be required tobackfill this adit.

Dry Fork Mine: DNF

AccessFrom Escalante, head west on Hwy 12 approximately 4 miles. Turn right on the 2WD MainCanyon Road and proceed for 6.9 miles and Park just before Corn Creek Road. The mine is

up the hill on the right (northwest) with visible coal piles and collapsed ore bin. Travel crosscountry approximately 500 feet up the drainage to the ore bin or follow a faint old accessroad that begins approximately 100 feet south of Corn Creek Road.

FeatureThis coal mine site was previously reclaimed by closing an adit and removing the accessroad. The work at this site is considered maintenance and consists of the removal of the

ll d bi th t l ft t th ti f l ti



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Appendix ASite Descriptions & Closure ScheduleGrand Staircase-Escalante National Monument 2 Project

Description: Dimensions are in feet. h=height, w=width, l=length, d=depth, x=by, o.c.=on center, w/=withSpecial Conditions: NR Elig=National Register eligible site with standard cultural resource precautions: Avoid impacts to features surrounding openings. If backfilled by machine, maintaindump contour lines. Bat Excl=bat exclusion required. BLM Paleo=work to be monitored by BLM paleontologist. Radiation H&S= follow standard safety practices to reduceradiological exposure such as wearing coveralls and face mask, washing hands and face upon completion of the work and prior to eating or smoking. OWNER will collect alpha andgamma readings before and during work to verify that levels remain near background and safe working levels.

5: 29

Site ID/Tag No.

UTM

Coordinates(NAD 27)

Description of Feature Special

Conditions Closure Method/Comment

Estimated

Quantity

4350108SH001 4,180,710 mN429,137 mE

16 x 20 x 5 to 17 d; sinkhole w/ shaley, friablewalls and widens at depth to expose drifts to thenorthwest and northeast

Bat Excl BACKFILL (Machine)Bat exclusion for both drifts. Driftsto be filled to a depth ofapproximately two times theirheight if accessible. Sidewalls canbe left at no steeper than a 1:1slope.

75 cy

Dry Fork Mine (DNF)

4350104ES001 4,182,953 mN430,237 mE

Collapsed ore bin located on hillside above theintersection of Main Canyon and Corn Creekroads

NR Elig DEMOLITION/REMOVE (Hand) 10 cy

North Corn Creek Mine (DNF)

4350105HO002 4,183,052 mN

428,490 mE

3h x 8w x 30+d lone coal mine adit with no

dump along creek; access road plowed to siteduring recent fire

Bat Excl BLOCK WALL with BACKFILL

(Machine)Construct block wall approximately12 ft in. Use sandy backfillmaterial from creek point bar infront of opening. Do not excavatecoal floor in front of opening.

31.5 sf

12 cy

Bullet Shafts (GSENM)

3380235VO001 4,145,648 mN

413,591 mE

4 x 4 x 97d; timber sets, ladder, unconsolidated

dump material at opening

NR Elig

Bat Excl

PUF

PUF plug 10 ft thick, recessed 4 ftdeep = 160 cf PUF, 16 cf concrete

160 cf

16 cf

3380235VO002 4,145,591 mN413,612 mE

4 x 6 x 105d; timber sets, ladder, bedrock andunconsolidated material at opening

NR EligBat Excl

PUFPUF plug 10 ft thick, recessed 4 ftdeep = 240 cf PUF, 24 cf concrete

240 cf24 cf


Sep 4, 2008 9:55:28 AM MDT p. 156

it is just an ore bin and may soon be "history..."

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