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EXHIBIT C — Adequacy Review Response <br />MINING PLAN <br />EXISTING CONDITIONS <br />Numerous prospect pits, surface disturbances, and an inactive open pit already exist in the <br />Crystal Hill region. The pre- existing open pit was started in the 1940's and last mined in the <br />1980's. Outside of the current permitted area are other previously disturbed areas including <br />about 40 acres of reclaimed waste dumps, heap leach pads, supporting operation areas, and <br />about two miles of access roads. No pre- existing structures exist on or near the permitted land. <br />The historic open pit at Crystal Hill has the form of a steep- sided, flat - floored amphitheater, <br />facing west and carved into the southwest side of Crystal Hill. The open pit is topographically <br />closed and is approximately 600 feet by 600 feet in size. <br />Road access to the Crystal Hill site is from the town of La Garita, via eight miles of graded road <br />along Biedell Creek, or alternately via 13 miles of graded road along Sanderson Gulch. These <br />roads connect around the north side of Crystal Hill, and both are periodically maintained by <br />Saguache County. No utilities, communications facilities, gas, oil or water lines nor any <br />dwellings are present on or near the property. <br />Current land use in the greater Crystal Hill area appears to be limited to livestock grazing, <br />seasonal hunting, woodcutting, and National Forest access. Infrequent rock hound activities <br />have occurred at the Crystal Hill mine, but since the site is on private land it has recently been <br />secured against unauthorized entry. <br />Exploration by Colorado Mining and Exploration <br />Colorado Mining and Exploration leased the Crystal Hill Mine property in 2012. A Notice of <br />Intent to Conduct Prospecting, NOI number P- 2012 -010, was issued on June 29, 2012. The NOI <br />allows the taking of bulk samples from the existing open pit by trenching. The bulk samples <br />were analyzed at an off -site facility. <br />Owing to successful metals recovery of the bulk samples for gold and silver an expansion of <br />operations is now feasible. Accordingly, this application is being submitted for a 110(2) Limited <br />Impact Operation Permit, impacting less than 10 acres, no acid mine drainage, with mining to <br />occur less than 180 days per year. <br />Development of Mining Operations <br />Current plans for mining at Crystal Hill include less than 180 days of annual excavation by open <br />pit methods within the existing open pit. On -site crushing and screening of the excavated rock <br />