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14 GEOCHEMICAL DATA AND ANALYSIS <br />The country rock within the Lucky Strike Mine consists of an amphibole, which is an inosilicate <br />made up dominantly of amphibole class minerals. The amphibole minerals are composed of <br />oxygen and silica, along with varying amounts of calcium, magnesium, hydrogen and iron. <br />Amphiboles are good rock - forming units that produce relatively good soils upon weathering <br />and decomposition. There is nothing environmentally negative about the country rock unit, <br />and if that unit is placed on the surface and allowed to weather, it will eventually degrade into <br />the same soils that already exist in the area. <br />The Lucky Strike vein is dominantly composed of quartz with minor amounts of precious metal <br />and sulfides. The dominant sulfide is chalcopyrite, and that mineral exists in concentrations of <br />less than one percent. Chalcopyrite is not an acid producing mineral, so produces no free acid. <br />The quartz is a hard durable rock that can normally be found on the surface as the substance <br />most resistant to weathering of all the other minerals found in the area. A review of the <br />properties of the mineral quartz finds that its degradation during weathering is more the result <br />of mechanical decomposition rather than to chemical changes. That is the reason, the quartz <br />veins in this district make prominent outcrops. <br />Concentrations of sulfide minerals which have the potential to produce free sulfur are nearly <br />non - existent at this site, and what few might exist are tied up inside the silica in quartz. This <br />coupled with the neutralizing ability of the surrounding amphibolites leads to the conclusion <br />that no significant metal migration is occurring as a result of weathering or reduced pH is <br />possible. This conclusion is supported by the many years of operation of the mine with no <br />evidence of any acid generation or metals migration. Thus, no additional testing for acid <br />generating rock is considered prudent or worthwhile. <br />15 CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE INFORMATION FOR URANIUM AND ACID MINE DRAINAGE <br />No uranium is to be mined, and the minerals found within the permit area are not acid <br />generating. Therefore, no facilities are necessary to contain them. <br />16 Quality Assurance and Quality Control Programs for Uranium and Acid Mine Drainage <br />No uranium is to be mined, and the minerals found within the permit area are not acid <br />generating. Therefore, no programs are necessary for handling them. <br />18 <br />