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Whirlwind Mine Groundwater Characterization Report <br /> 1.0 INTRODUCTION <br /> This Groundwater Characterization Report (the "Report") of the Whirlwind Mine area has been <br /> prepared to satisfy Energy Fuels Resources' (USA) Inc. (EFR's) commitments in support of <br /> federal and state permitting of the Whirlwind Mine. The Whirlwind Mine is a uranium and <br /> vanadium mine located in western Mesa County, Colorado, approximately 5 miles west of the <br /> community of Gateway, Colorado. Figure 1 shows a regional site location map and Figure 2 is a <br /> site map. In September 2008, EFR obtained a Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and <br /> Safety (DRMS) mine permit to reactivate the mine, with the understanding that a formal <br /> hydrologic investigation would be conducted. Western Water& Land (WWL) conducted initial <br /> hydrologic studies at the mine for EFR in 2008 and 2009 before the work was suspended and <br /> the mine closed due to low uranium prices. <br /> In accordance with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's (BLM's) Decision Record, <br /> Attachment A—Conditions of Approval, #17 (BLM, 2008), and as described in Exhibit T— <br /> Designated Mining Operation Environmental Protection Plan, Section 10.2, of EFR's approved <br /> 112d Permit Application to the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) <br /> (EFR, 2008a), the purpose of this Report is to document the results of a hydrogeologic study to <br /> further characterize the upgradient and downgradient aquifers, groundwater inflow to the mine, <br /> hydraulic connections between the mine and area springs, mine water discharge and fate, and <br /> any groundwater impacts from mining operations. This Report provides a comprehensive <br /> analysis of the hydrology at and in the vicinity of the Whirlwind Mine based on an assimilation of <br /> field findings, including summaries of previous hydrologic and geologic mapping work, results of <br /> past and ongoing water chemistry sampling and analysis, and a summary of historical <br /> hydrological observations and interpretations from other entities involved with the Whirlwind <br /> Mine and vicinity mines. Surface water occurrence and chemistry is also discussed. These <br /> various sources of information were used to formulate a working hydrogeologic conceptual <br /> model of the Whirlwind Mine and vicinity. The goal of the hydrogeologic conceptual model and <br /> Report is to aid EFR and regulating agencies (DRMS and the BLM) in the understanding and <br /> prediction of groundwater occurrence that can be used to mitigate hydrological impact from <br /> mining activities and provide additional groundwater information that could be used for closure <br /> planning. <br />