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January 2016 <br />Energy Fuels Coal, Inc. SL -04 Application for Partial Bond Release - Revised 04103/16 <br />INTRODUCTION <br />Please find enclosed an application for bond release for the Southfield Mine (C-1981-014), <br />permitted and operated by Energy Fuels Coal Inc (EFCI). This application is submitted to the <br />Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) in accordance with the requirements of Rule <br />3.03 of the Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining (revised <br />9/14/2005). <br />GENERAL DESCRIPTION <br />The Southfield Mine is comprised of two separate areas, the Mine and Loadout permit boundaries. <br />This application pertains to the Mine only, which encompasses all or portions of the following <br />areas: <br />MINE PERMIT AREA: <br />Township 20S, Range 69W, 6th Principal Meridian - Sections 19,30,31 <br />Township 20S, Range 70W, 6th Principal Meridian - Sections 23,24,25,26 <br />This area is shown on the Rockvale, Colorado, 7.5 minute USGS Quadrangle Map. The Mine <br />permit boundary encompasses approximately 2,713.3 acres. <br />The Mine operated from 1978 through 2000 under an approved permit from the DRMS. The current <br />mine permit application was originally approved and issued in August 1984 and has subsequently <br />been renewed for multiple five-year incremental terms. The current renewal extends through July <br />30, 2019. The Southfield Mine ceased active underground mining operations in December 2000, <br />and EFCI subsequently completed the vast majority of backfilling, grading, topsoil placement, and <br />permanent seeding during 2001 through 2003. Reclamation work in subsequent years included <br />maintenance of drainage control structures, subsidence repair, and sealing remaining drill holes and <br />monitoring wells. The completed work has resulted in reclamation of disturbed areas to provide for <br />long-term stability, effective drainage control, and vegetative establishment consistent with the <br />proposed postmining use of rangeland and wildlife habitat. <br />Mining operations at the Mine resulted in disturbance of approximately 88.3 acres. Of this, <br />approximately 18 acres are not reclaimed that are associated with the approved permanent facilities. <br />This SL -04 bond and liability release application requests release of bond for reclamation or perma- <br />nent retention of specific items within the permit boundary that were not included in SL -03. In addi- <br />tion, release of liability is requested for specific items and areas in the permit area. Detailed infor- <br />mation pertaining to this request is described below. <br />Three previous bond release applications were submitted by EFCI, two of which were approved by <br />the Division, and one pending approval. Surety Release Nos. 1 and 2 (SL -01 and SL -02) applica- <br />tions were for Phase I bond release. Surety Release No. 3 (SL -03) application was for a Phase I, II, <br />and III bond release. SL -01 was approved on November 4, 1997 and documented by the written <br />findings titled "Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance for the Southfield Mine, Permit No. <br />Page 4 <br />