2013-11-07_PERMIT FILE - M2013070

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Liberty Mining, LLC DRMS 11 0-d Permit Application October 2013 EXHIBIT B SITE DESCRIPTION B (a) Vegetation The project area is located in the vicinity of John Brown Mesa in southwestern Colorado near the Utah border. The mine site is situated in a semiarid high desert climate characterized by pinon- juniper woodlands, forbs, sage and other brush and grasses in rocky soils. The pinon - juniper community occurs on canyon slopes and mesa tops. The major canopy species in the pinon- juniper woodlands are pinon pine (Pinus edulis), and two species of juniper (Juniperus scoporum and Juniperus osteosperma). The density of the pinon- juniper canopy is dependent upon soil depth and the degree of slopes. Shallow soil depth and steep slopes have a density of 10 to 30 trees per acre, while deeper soils and shallow slopes yield 140 to 190 trees per acre. The majority of the forb species associated with the pinon - juniper community include serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis), four -wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus), mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus spp.), winter fat (Certacides lanata), cliff rose (Cowania Mexicana), arrow leaf (Balsamorhiza sagittata) and Mormon tea (Ephedra viridis) among others. Large sagebrush species are comprised of fringed sagebrush (Attemisia frigida) and rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus Nutt.). The forbs -grass community is mostly found on mesa tops; on shallow slopes along ridges and canyon bottoms. The grass community includes needle and thread grass (Hesperostipa comate), Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), sand drop seed (Sporobolus cryptandrus), Indian ricegrass (Achnathemm hymenoides), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii ) and Junegrass (Koeleria Pers) among other species. Soil Characteristics The Natural Resource Conservation Service characterizes the soils in the mining area as shallow soil and rock outcrops on slopes of 5 -25% that are "slightly alkali and bouldery". The soil is described as mostly clay to clay loam with sandstone bedrock outcroppings. The bedrock is characterized as having slopes of 50 -99% and being mostly weathered outcrops. B (b) Permanent Manmade Structures There are no permanent man -made structures within 200 feet of the affected area. B (c.1) Surface Water Surface water in the vicinity of the mine is ephemeral and only occurs during heavy precipitation and snow melt events. Two ephemeral streams are in the area; Cave Canyon and North Cottonwood Canyon. These streams are located approximately 0.5 and 1.2 miles away from the Liberty Mine Portal, respectively. There are no significant springs, lakes, ponds., ditches or other bodies of water in the vicinity that have potential to be impacted by the mining operations. The surface water gradient flows toward the east - northeast; surface water from the mine area flows on to the mesa below and subsequently 1.5 miles to the Dolores River at an elevation of approximately 4630 feet above sea level; approximately 2200 feet below the elevation of the mine portal. Libe(lly Mining, LLC Moat,, Utah S M A Ref. 5321 SG- Page 9