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Whirlwind Mine Groundwater Characterization Report <br /> immediately above encountered groundwater. This prompts the question if mudstone units in <br /> the Brushy Basin are water bearing. <br /> The water chemistry of most of the interpreted Brushy Basin sources is sodium-bicarbonate <br /> type. However, sources BM00-1 and W-1 deviate from this strict water type and show water <br /> types of Na-Ca-HCO3 and Na-HCO3-CI-SO4, respectively. Assuming there are no artificial <br /> influences, such as sample collection or well completion methods, these Brushy Basin waters <br /> indicate that not all Brushy Basin water is similar, with the possible exception that sodium <br /> proportions exceed calcium. <br /> Based on the assimilated data for the Brushy Basin the following conclusions can be made: <br /> • Groundwater occurs primarily in association with sandstone units that are separated by <br /> mudstone and shale which are generally believed to be essentially dry. This may classify <br /> the individual saturated sandstones as perched aquifers. <br /> • Because interbeds of mudstone are not considered water-bearing, vertical downward <br /> flow from the sandstone units into the interbeds of mudstone appears minimal to <br /> nonexistent. <br /> • Because the sandstone units are lenticular, they may not be continuous in the vicinity of <br /> the Whirlwind Mine; the sandstones also vary in thickness depending on location. <br /> • A single sandstone unit may yield enough water to be considered an aquifer, but the <br /> rates are still low, only a few gpm. <br /> • Calculated estimates of static groundwater elevations from the Brushy Basin do not <br /> allow for the construction of a potentiometric surface primarily because of the inherent <br /> discontinuity of the sandstone units across the project area and the various drill hole <br /> sources do not allow for the measurement of head in specific isolated zones of the <br /> Brushy Basin. <br /> • Water chemistry of Brushy Basin sources exhibit a distinct sodium-bicarbonate type <br /> water but also show indications that proportions of both cations and anions may vary <br /> Western Water& Land, Inc. 40 <br />