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one steep, normal fault trending east-northeast with vertical displacement of 25 feet. <br />The rock strata in the region can contain groundwater, but are not a significant source of water in <br />the area of the mine. Typically bedrock groundwater is perched and sources are unreliable for <br />most uses. Igneous intrusions can cause impermeable boundaries that act as barriers to <br />groundwater migration. The Purgatoire River is the main surface water drainage in the region. <br />The headwaters originate west of the mine in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Eventually, <br />the Purgatoire flows into the Arkansas River near Las Animas, Colorado, and approximately 120 <br />miles northeast of the mine. The Purgatoire River and its alluvial aquifer are significant sources <br />of water in the mine area. Portions of Apache Canyon, Santistevan Canyon, Wet Canyon, and <br />Ciruela Canyon are, or were at one time, located within the Golden Eagle permit area. With the <br />exception of Wet Canyon, which is perennial, these drainages are intermittent. <br />The climate of the region is characterized as semi -arid. The prevailing winds come from the <br />southwest and the mean annual precipitation is 16.9 inches. The length of the growing season <br />ranges from 90-110 days in the region. <br />Vegetation communities are diverse, ranging from low grassland communities in the valleys to <br />pinon/juniper/oak brush and coniferous forest in the higher elevations. Soils in the area can be <br />shallow or non-existent on the steep, south facing slopes, but are well -drained loams in the <br />valleys bottom along the Purgatoire River. <br />