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In the past, soil and overburden was hauled to a specific area and stockpiled for future use by <br /> reloading it and hauling it back to where it could be used. However,the distance has become too great <br /> and thus that approach has became too expensive for general use. So it is far more economical to not <br /> use specific stockpiles and just place the growth medium somewhere out of the way until a nearby <br /> area is finished and then move it to there, leaving it in irregular drifts that are then spread when a large <br /> enough mined out area nearby is available to fully reclaim. In essence, trying to operate this pit as if it <br /> was similar to a coal strip mine simply did not work out well because other uses for previously mined <br /> land are found which sometimes limited quick reclamation. Plus the high cost of fuel makes it very <br /> difficult to justify using the former large stockpile approach on a large site like this. Plus smaller <br /> stockpiles provides an operational justification for reclaiming more quickly than often happens when <br /> large stockpiles are used. <br /> For example, sediment ponds used when washing the gravel need to be built and once filled <br /> these tend to take a long time to dry out before equipment can even work the surface. But these areas <br /> often create a reclamation product composed of mostly native species that is some of the best <br /> vegetation anywhere on or near this property. These ponds even encourage tree and shrub growth <br /> composed of native species and exhibit a high diversity habitat structure that ranges from dry upland <br /> spots to sedge and cattail marshes in places. Fine bird and small mammal habitats develop that would <br /> otherwise not be there-and not a seed needs to be planted that came from a seed store. Furthermore, <br /> the recovery is essentially established in 2 to 4 years depending on the local reclaimed habitat type. <br /> In short, it has been found that stockpiling soil and overburden in large discrete piles is a bit <br /> more of a hindrance and can limit the utility of that habitat form for wildlife utilization in the interim. <br /> This is addressed further in the next section of this plan. <br /> Interim Seeding of Topsoil/Overburden Stockpiles <br /> As described above,topsoil stockpiles will not generally be in place very long and for the most <br /> part already be on or near the place where the material will be used. Haulage to specific large <br /> stockpile locations on an operation this large in physical area has turned out to be very expensive <br /> because of long haul distances and now the high cost of fuel. But where placement does occur without <br /> final grading in a time period considered sufficient to grow a vegetation cover, a vigorous growing <br /> seed mix will be broadcast on the soil. As a rule, if the soil is expected to be spread within one full <br /> growing season of placement, there is little point in seeding it-there is insufficient time for the <br /> vegetation to have a chance to grow and do anything to protect it. Following is the seed mixture. <br /> Fountain Pit Technical Revision#3 - June 2022 M-1982-155 Mining Plan Page 15 of 22 <br />