2022-10-10_REVISION - C1981008 (7)

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Whenever possible, topsoil was live hauled to active reclamation areas. However, this was not always possible (particularly in the case of acreage designated as Prime Farmland), and some topsoil was stockpiled. Stockpiled topsoil will be protected from wind and water erosion by roughening and ditching around the pile, establishing an annual cover crop, or establishing a perennial grass cover, depending on the length of time a stockpile will be in place. Overburden was removed by shovel and trucks after an area was drilled and shot. An Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil slurry was the primary agent used in the blast. All shots were monitored with seismographs located at structures nearest to the blast. All blasting was completed by June 2013. Mining began along the eastern subcrop of the New Horizon Mine area and continued west through the BB Road and the 2700 Road to the final cut which was located between Ponds 15 and 13. A panel mining method was used to develop the pits (see Map 2.05.2-1). The panels varied in length, up to 3,500 feet. The panel width was typically 100 to 120 feet. The overburden was excavated using a shovel and trucks and then placed or pushed into an adjacent or nearby mined-out pit. The reclamation plan is designed to replace agricultural lands using irrigation water from the CCC Ditch. The remaining areas will be planted to dryland pasture. It is anticipated that wetland vegetation will establish in low spots and adjacent to impoundments on the reclaimed landscape, due to the presence of water from irrigation runoff. Continued incidental use of the reclaimed landscape by wildlife similar to that which occurred prior to mining is expected. Operations on Prime Farmland There are two areas of designated Prime Farmland within the permit area. The first is the Morgan property, southwest of the 2700 Road and BB Road intersection, which is dominated by Darvey-Bari complex soils (map unit 98E). The second is in the northwest corner of the permit area and is dominated by Begay Fine Sandy Loam (map unit 98A) on land owned by Elk Ridge Mining and Reclamation, LLC. Approximately 3.96 acres has been disturbed by mining operations. Elk Ridge Mining and Reclamation, LLC will manage and reclaim these areas in accordance with Prime Farmland requirements of Rule 2.06.6 and 4.25, as discussed in Section XVIII of this document. Due in part to the inaccessibility of the prime farmland designate soil parcel at the pond 13 area, Elk Ridge Mining and Reclamation, LLC is proposing to replace prime farmland soils and manage a four(4) acre parcel further to the south and east. The current prime farmland soil location is located immediately south of Tuttle Dray in a geographically limited area. The limitations of Tuttle draw to the north, an undisturbed steep slope to the south and upland area to the east limit the manageable size of the prime farmland parcel in the southwest quarter of Section 36 to approximately five (5) acres. No permanent access road or irrigation structures are currently located at the Section 36 prime farmland designated area. With this permit revision, Elk Ridge Mining and Reclamation, LLC is proposing to reestablish 4.0 acres of prime farmland to the south and east of the current mapped prime farmland parcel in the west side of the southeast quarter of Section 36. The benefits to relocating the prime farmland parcel include ease of access due to proximity to existing roads. The proposed relocated parcel would be 8