2014-11-18_REVISION - M1977252 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Tyler O'Donnell TR -01 Inert Fill Import Response to Preliminary Adequacy Review for Apache Mine M- 1978 -009 November 13, 2014 Page 2 Blending The grog will be blended with overburden from the overburden stockpiles into a homogenous stockpile using a front end loader (loader) before being placed in the pit. To start, a ratio of 50% grog to 50% overburden will be used. At the loader operator's discretion, the ratio of grog to overburden will be adjusted up or down based on how well the blended grog compacts. Compaction The blended grog will be placed on the floor of the previously mined out pit in 1 -2 foot thick layers, see attached Pioneer Site Map. The loader, with a full bucket, will wheel roll each 1 -2 foot thick layer until the materials are tight, meaning the tires sink 1 -2 inches into the fill based on visual inspection of the fill. If necessary, the loader operator may add water to the fill to assist with compaction. Additional 1 -2 foot thick layers will be built on top of the previous layers until the bench matches the elevation of the clay stockpile pad area, reclamation plan, and /or surrounding native topography. As additional areas are mined out, the backfill area will move to the east and south; the same blending and compaction process will be repeated. 4. The Operator is proposing to import scrap brick and block over a period of ten years, with the imported material remaining in a stockpile until the operation enters final reclamation. Please note that the Division must bond for all non - product stockpiles which will be used during reclamation. Alternately, the Operator may blend and backfill the scrap brick and block into the pit as it is imported to the site. If the scrap brick is immediately backfilled, then an adjustment of the financial warranty will not be necessary. Please clarify if the scrap brick will be stockpiled or if it will be backfilled upon importation of the material. Currently, the grog is hauled campaign style meaning that it is brought in when there is clay being hauled from Pioneer for production use, which is roughly every other month. At the completion of each hauling campaign, there will be no stockpiled grog remaining. Therefore, no financial warranty increase is necessary. In addition, GSB would like to clarify that they will import approximately 8,000 to 16,000 tons of grog each year depending on demand for clay from Pioneer and whether there is room to backfill the pit. The majority of the grog will be hauled in the next 5 years, and then the quantity hauled will be reduced to an as needed quantity based on the grog quantity stored at the brick plant. The anticipated end date for the backfilling is when mining is complete. This could be 25 to 50 years depending on market conditions, geology of the deposit, real estate values of the mine, and /or if the brick plant continues operations.