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currently available mining techniques,and in practice would be diluted by the adjacent rock; rock that <br /> was found by the testing to be non-acid generating. Thus,Sample MH-1,collected from the mineralized <br /> structure, best represents the materials that might be produced as ore,and review of Table 1 shows <br /> that sample to be neutral or non-acid generating. From the ACZ testing, it can be concluded that the <br /> materials that might be reasonably produced from this site will be non-acid generating. <br /> One other characteristic on which testing was performed was the rate of acid generation,which is <br /> dependent on the rate of decomposition of the sulfide minerals. Testing was performed to create <br /> conditions similar to those anticipated to occur if the material were moved to the surface. This test was <br /> run on Sample MH-3 to produce a worst-case scenario,even though realistically that material could not <br /> be physically segregated away from the material represented by Sample MH-12. The testing revealed <br /> that sample's rate of sulfide decomposition was quite slow, as evidenced by the absence of any low pH <br /> values produced by the 11-day test. Thus,the conclusion is reached that even if sulfide minerals are <br /> present at the Mineral Mountain project site,they do not appear to rapidly break down in the typical <br /> surface environment,and sufficient buffering is available in the country rock to maintain a near-neutral <br /> to basic overall pH. <br /> Braun Environmental has performed an investigation of the Mineral Mountain project area, and based <br /> on those results of the field investigation and from the laboratory testing, it is Braun's professional <br /> opinion that the materials sampled are aggregately non-acid generating,as viewed from a regulatory <br /> standpoint. Based on this information,and current governmental standards, no threat to human health <br /> or the environment exists with respect to acid generation,and no further studies are recommended. <br /> However, per good mining practice, it is suggested that future produced materials be periodically <br /> reviewed by the operator,and if the potential for acid production is suspected,that testing be <br /> performed. <br /> 8 <br />