December 3, 2025 Regular Meeting - WEHI Transcript

01/05/2026 02:58:16 PM Page 45 to 48 of 68 12 of 17 sheets 45 I was not that careful at that point, but they1 A. both mean roughly the same thing. They're synonymous.2 You mentioned on Page 14 that "Langan reported a3 Q. joint set dipping downward to the east on a slope of 174 degrees." Then you go onto say, "downward dip to the5 east is not, in our experience, a favorable inclination,6 which would be downward towards the west." What do you7 mean by this?8 What I mean is that they reported, I am just9 A. reading their report and they said it was 17 -- it was10 dipping 17 degrees in the easterly direction, which is11 down slope.12 No, I understand you're reciting what's in their13 Q. report.14 What did you mean by your conclusion that the15 eastern inclination is not a favorable one. The16 favorable one would be downward toward the west?17 If the joints dip in the direction of the slope18 A. then there's -- it reduces, it reduces the safety factor19 against sliding, but those assume the 45 degree angle,20 which is twice the 35 degree friction angle, which means21 that the rock joint won't slide if it was only sloping22 17 degrees.23 What's their basis for that assumption of the 3524 Q. degree friction angle?25 46 It's a fairly representative value and based, and1 A. they had people go over the rock Basalt that they saw.2 Well, if it is fine the way they did it, why did3 Q. you comment that, "A downward dip to the east is not a4 favorable inclination, which would be downward towards5 the west?"6 I believe in their report it was referenced as a7 A. favorable one and we didn't agree with that.8 That's because gravity will tend to cause rock to9 Q. move in a direction where there's less support and in10 this case that would the east, is that fair to say?11 Correct.12 A. Thank you.13 Q. You also make a the statement that Langan in14 their rebuttal -- strike that.15 You make the statement that when you're read16 Langan's rebuttal CME was not able to identify the17 section of core which samples were taken. This is,18 again, at Page 14. Can you explain that statement?19 We were looking -- at that time they took two20 A. core samples and they were close together, they were21 taken from the same rock core and we could not identify22 the piece that was used in the -- there's photographs23 and nobody drew a circle on the photograph and said,24 this is the piece we took

ere21 taken from the same rock core and we could not identify22 the piece that was used in the -- there's photographs23 and nobody drew a circle on the photograph and said,24 this is the piece we took the samples from.25 47 So what does it mean that you couldn't identify1 Q. that?2 We couldn't.3 A. No, I mean what's the significance that caused4 Q. you to make this reference in the report?5 Well, it would have been interesting to know6 A. which piece of rock core they selected from the7 photograph.8 And why would it be interesting to know that,9 Q. that's my question?10 It would be, it would have been good to see the11 A. rock before it was subjected to the test. They do have12 pictures of the rock core in their thing before it was,13 before it was subjected to a compression test.14 And why would it have been a good to see that15 Q. first?16 It would not particularly be important that we17 A. could see it, but we couldn't see it and I --18 So you make a point of, a point of knowing but,19 Q. it's not particularly important, is that what you're20 saying?21 I did that, yes.22 A. CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Move own. Move on.23 MR. AFRAN: I am not sure why you're saying24 move on, I think that's a very important point.25 48 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Not in his opinion. He is1 the expert.2 MR. AFRAN: You are the expert who judges3 ultimately and you need to hear the full level of4 details or lack thereof.5 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: He said in his opinion it6 wasn't important. Thank you.7 Mr. Klein.8 MR. KLEIN: So how many core samples do have9 the circle in the photograph to tell them which pieces?10 THE WITNESS: They only took samples from11 one core.12 MR. KLEIN: So there's only one core and13 they just identified --14 THE WITNESS: They didn't locate the -- I15 couldn't see on the photo which piece was the one that16 they removed from the core box and trimmed it. You have17 to trim them and everything and I couldn't see that on18 the photo.19 MR. KLEIN: Could they identify it now or is20 it to late now?21 THE WITNESS: I am sure somebody from Langan22 could probably identify it. I don't think it's that23 significant.24 MR. KLEIN: When you looked at the whole25