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C-12 r1 <br /> (d) THICKNESS OF DEPOSIT TO BE MINED <br /> Exploratory drilling completed to date indicates that the target sand horizon is on the order of 35 to 40 ft. thick, on <br /> average. It is CSC's intent to mine a depth horizon sufficient to justify the proposed Keenesburg Project economic <br /> objectives while leaving a pit-floor sub-horizon comprised of sand, as well, in order to accommodate infiltration <br /> and dispersal of both precipitation moisture and process-related residual moisture content in the fines slurry,both <br /> during and subsequent to the operational life-of-mine. Accordingly, the anticipated mining depth will be limited to <br /> approximately 25-ft. below the existing ground surface for both the main pit area and the fines recovery pit, <br /> respectively,such that the invert elevation of each pit will be established at an elevation of 4,880 ft. amsl. CSC will <br /> maintain this invert elevation, within an estimated +/- 2 ft. variance, in order to accommodate the unavoidable <br /> undulations that result from the types of mining equipment being employed (i.e., front-end loaders and hydraulic <br /> excavators), the nature of the material(i.e., sand), and pit water management requirements(if warranted). <br /> CSC notes that the fines recovery pit will be excavated(mined)to its full completion depth prior to the initiation of <br /> sand processing, and thereafter will be incrementally filled with process fines. Thus, it is not anticipated that the <br /> fines recovery pit would ever be "deepened". In the event incremental storage capacity is required in the fines <br /> recovery pit, CSC would (through submittal and Division approval of a Technical Revision, in advance of doing <br /> so)likely accomplish such via an increase in,or raising of,the perimeter containment. Therefore,the fines recovery <br /> pit invert elevation would remain at the initially established 4,880 ft. amsl (+/- 2 ft.). Based on the fines recovery <br /> pit location and localized surface topography(average elevation across the fines recovery pit is approximately 4,905 <br /> ft. (m/1), excavation depth is anticipated to be on the order of 25 ft., on average. <br /> The main mine pit footprint area, however, is overlain (in its pre-mining condition) by surface topography that <br /> ranges from a"high"of approximately 4,910 ft. (in the south central zone)to a"low"of approximately 4,905 ft. in <br /> its northeast corner. Therefore, employing/establishing a 4,880 ft. amsl (+/-2 ft.) invert elevation for the pit floor <br /> will require that the true mining depth horizon(s)vary from 25 ft. ("low"zone)to as much as 30 ft. ("high"zone), <br /> in order to accommodate all areas of the main mine pit. <br /> In the event CSC were to consider a deepening of the main mine pit (to potentially accommodate incremental <br /> production in the latter stages of mine life), such would be addressed through the submittal(and Division approval) <br /> of a Technical Revision, in advance of doing so. <br />