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10.2 Bench 1 and Topsoil Placement Equipment and Practices <br />Bench 1 material will be placed via haul truck and dozer. Prior to the placement of any material, <br />stakes will be placed in the Bench 1 overburden and marked with the height that Bench 1 must <br />be placed to. These stakes will be placed in the overburden. Dozer operators will then spread the <br />Bench 1 over the area to the height marked on the stakes. This same procedure will be repeated <br />for topsoil (Lift A, B, or Mixed). Each topsoil and Bench 1 lift will be placed at its final <br />thickness over whatever area a single truck load can cover at a given time. When a truck load is <br />dumped onto an area, the dozer operator will only spread the material out over an area that can <br />be covered at the required thickness. This will minimize compaction, since the dozer will not be <br />retreading over previously placed material to place a new layer. This process will take place for <br />each lift placed. <br />11.0 Topsoil Replacement <br />The topsoil replacement for the mine is divided into the three original topsoil study areas. These <br />are discussed in the following subsections. <br />11.1 Topsoil Replacement -1988 and 1995 Study Areas (East of 2700 Road) <br />These study areas are located east of 2700 Road. As of February, 2008, this area has been <br />stripped, replaced and reclaimed. The various tracts had different topsoil placement thicknesses <br />depending upon landowner and land use. The material replaced, as reported in the Annual <br />Reports, is shown on Map 2.05.4-4. As indicated on the map, most of the area was stripped and <br />replaced in two lifts; however, in some cases the combined lift thickness is shown. <br />During the topsoil stripping, a deficit was encountered in the amount stripped compared to the <br />amount predicted from the soil survey. ERMR proposed the use of selected overburden or <br />interburden materials (approximately 33,600 yd3) as topsoil substitutes or plant seedbed media <br />for this area, which is 9.7 acres immediately north and west of Pond 007 (see Map 2.05.4-4). <br />This is based on the fact that this area had poor topsoil in the beginning (Soil Unit 810) and the <br />lower than anticipated recovery of 80 percent for the remaining Soil Units IE, IEW, 808, 30C in <br />the surrounding area. The substitute soil was shown to be acceptable for reclamation. This <br />change was approved and the replacement work was completed. As of February, 2008, these <br />reclaimed areas appear to be doing well and will meet the bond release criteria. As of June 2010, <br />much of the area has obtained or is about to obtain Phase 2 bond release. <br />As shown on Map 2.05.4-9, approximately 800 yd of mixed topsoil from Pile L will be <br />transported to the Michael Moore property, which has previously received Phase III bond <br />release. This material will facilitate reclamation of a ditch at the request of the property owner. <br />October 2018 (MR -109) 2.05.4(2)(d)-13 <br />