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Homestake Mining Company May 10,2019 <br /> Regular(112d)Operation Reclamation Permit Application Package <br /> Wherever a pond or water conveyance feature remains as part of the final reclamation, no slope <br /> will be left that is steeper than 3H:1V, between 5 ft of elevation above to 10 ft of elevation below <br /> the water line, in accordance with Rule 3.1.5(7), with the exception of the Sediment Dam which <br /> is a jurisdictional structure. <br /> 4.4.4. Topsoil and Growth Medium <br /> The information in the following paragraphs is provided to comply with the requirements of <br /> Rule 3.1.9. and 6.4.5(d). <br /> Besides requiring appropriate slope gradients, attaining the post-mining land uses of wildlife and <br /> grazing inherently depend on enhancing the success of revegetation establishment. Establishing <br /> vegetation hinges partly on the soil or growth medium available. Prior to mining, much of the <br /> disturbed areas at the Mine were covered in dense lodgepole pine forest, which naturally <br /> contained only thin topsoil. Since little topsoil existed naturally in the mined areas, the opportunity <br /> to salvage topsoil for later use in reclamation was quite limited, and overall it did not contribute <br /> significantly to reclamation efforts. Wherever feasible though, it was salvaged and replaced during <br /> previous reclamation activity. Where it did not exist to be reused during reclamation, use of other <br /> materials and treatments were necessary to support revegetation efforts. Most of the soil on site <br /> is considered to be typical of either Soil Horizon B or C, under the United States Department of <br /> Agriculture (USDA) definition. <br /> Most of the materials that were available and used as a growth medium are either subsoil (the <br /> lower horizons of naturally deeper soils) or overburden (which is rockier and often devoid of <br /> nutrients or organic material). When determined to be suitable as growth medium, such materials <br /> were amended to be able to support new vegetation. If its mineralization is not too high or its <br /> texture too coarse, for example, overburden can be amended and made suitable as a surface <br /> material that can support vegetation. Past revegetation seeding has proved successful, when <br /> seeding is accompanied by fertilization and/or mulching directly onto these surface materials. <br /> Future revegetation is planned to be carried out using available overburden that has been found <br /> to be suitable in the past as a growth medium. <br /> All future earthwork will include the segregation and protection of soil and other material <br /> determined to be suitable as a growth medium; they will be re-spread on surfaces that are ready <br /> to be reseeded. Given that it is difficult to predict or estimate the depths or volumes of these <br /> materials that be encountered, it is impossible to predict the depths to be replaced. Wherever <br /> possible and available, the topsoil or subsoil resources will be placed on the surfaces to be <br /> seeded. Where soils are not available, seeding directly onto suitable overburden will occur. <br /> 4.4.5. Revegetation <br /> The information below satisfies Rule 3.1.10 and Rule 6.4.5(d). <br /> The disturbed areas to be revegetated at the Mine are generally located at or above 10,000 ft of <br /> elevation. Native vegetation consists mainly of Lodgepole pine forest, minor forested areas of <br /> EXHIBIT E-RULE 6 4 5(AMENDED RECLAMATION PLAN) Page 63 <br /> HOMESTAKE MINING COMPANY <br />