2025-11-20_PERMIT FILE - M2024050

Home Browse Search

EXHIBIT B: Site Description Type of Operation and History: The GEM Mine lies within the historic Idaho Springs Mining District(also known as the Virginia Mining District)of the Front Range Mineral Belt, an area developed after the 1859 gold discoveries at the confluence of Chicago Creek and Clear Creek. Historical records and maps identify a "Gem" vein and associated underground workings in this district,with early production characterized by gold- and silver-bearing ores, including gold- telluride mineralization near surface that commonly weathered to free-milling gold. Undated tunnel maps for the Gem Mine in Clear Creek County depict multiple adits and drifts tied to nearby claims, consistent with early 20th-century small-to-mid-scale underground operations. Local histories also reference the "Gem Companies" in Idaho Springs as operating both hydro- and coal-fired steam power in addition to mining activities during the town's development period. For the present permit, the site is treated as a legacy mine feature comprised primarily of a historic waste rock pile and related disturbance from past underground workings. The current operation is a limited impact designated mining project focused solely on the removal and off-site disposal of historic mine waste. No new mineral extraction or on-site processing will occur. (a) Topography and Soils: The project area consists of steep mountainous terrain. The primary soils in the extraction area are Arents-Dumps,mine complex,with 5%to 80% slopes—indicative of loose,unconsolidated, and disturbed material. Adjacent terrain consists of the Cathedral-Rock outcrop complex with 30%to 70% slopes. These soils are generally shallow, acidic, and poorly vegetated, consistent with the impacts of historical mining. Refer to Exhibit D for soils reports and scaled maps. Soil Survey Map Image 1: Soils Survey Map.