2014-01-29_HYDROLOGY - P2009025 (8)

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Baseline Hydrologic Monitoring Plan — Hansen Project 1 1. INTRODUCTION Black Range Minerals is conducting baseline studies to support the permitting and development of uranium mining operations at the Hansen Project. The Project is located in the Tallahassee Creek Uranium District, twenty -five miles northwest of Canon City, in Fremont County, Colorado (Figure 1). Baseline surface water and groundwater data are being collected to support environmental impact analyses and engineering design for water resources. Baseline data for groundwater includes depth to water, direction of flow, and water quality in new and existing monitoring wells and domestic wells located on and near the Project site. Baseline data for surface water includes flow rates and water quality at designated surface water monitoring stations. The information will be used to document existing conditions and evaluate potential impacts to water resources. Baseline hydrologic monitoring for the mineral exploration program at the greater Taylor Ranch Project began in fall 2008 (Section 1.3), and hydrologic monitoring has continued to the present. Monitoring plans were developed and submitted to Fremont County and the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) in 2008 (Whetstone 2008a, 2008b). Quarterly monitoring of surface water and groundwater and semi - annual monitoring of domestic water has been conducted under those monitoring plans. The monitoring program was updated in 2010 when the project was expanded to include the South T -Bar Ranch properties (Whetstone 2010a, 2010b). Those updates were approved by Fremont County and their third -party hydrologic consultant (Western Water & Land) and monitoring has since been conducted under the updated plans. The project is moving from the mineral exploration phase into feasibility and mine permitting. To provide additional data in support of feasibility studies and permitting, the existing monitoring program is being expanded to provide more baseline data in the vicinity of the Hansen Deposit, while continuing to monitor the greater Taylor Ranch Project Area 1.1 Location, Access, and Study Areas The Hansen Project is located twenty -five miles northwest of Canon City, Colorado, within the greater Taylor Ranch CUP area. The site is accessible by driving west on U.S. Highway 50 from Canon City, Colorado, approximately 8.8 miles to State Highway 9, north on Highway 9 approximately 10.9 miles, then west on County Road 2 (Tallahassee Road) approximately 5.5 miles to the eastern boundary of the Taylor Ranch CUP Boundary (Figure 1). The Hansen Deposit is located in the southern portion of the CUP area, in sections 21, 22, 27, and 28 of T17S R73W (Figure 1). From the junction of County Road 2 (Tallahassee Road junction), the Hansen Project is accessible by driving approximately five miles south on County Road 21 (S. Tallahassee Trail), through the South T -Bar Ranch coded gate, to the intersection of CR21 and Mountain Meadows Trail. The Hansen study area lies entirely within the Hall Gulch 7.5- minute quadrangle (Plate 1). 4153A.140129 Whetstone Associates