INSPEC28371

• Permit No: C1980004
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ON THE MCCLANE CANYON MINE
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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I
Soils
No topsoil was stockpiled prior to the existing disturbance at the L1cClane
Canyon site. Future planned disturbances that will occur after permit issu-
ance will be the sediment pond and topsoil storage area. Topsoil will be
stripped from the area of the proposed sediment pond. Analyses indicated that
these soils are good sources for topsoil for use in reclamation of the mine.
The applicant proposes to strip the-Nihill Loam soil to a depth of 12 inches
and the Itivra Variant to a depth of 18 inches. This will yield a volume of
900 BCY of topsoil from the disturbed area. Part of this topsoil will be re-
spread over one acre of the mine bench and the rest will be spread over the
disturbed area of the sediment pond. These-soils will be respread at a mini-
mum depth of 4'.
A portion of the bench and outslopes along the reclaimed road will not be top-
soiled. These areas consist of fill which was used for grading the road and
original ground. The applicant has supplied a few analyses from grab samples _
of this material. Although these analyses indicated that the material is
suitable for reclamation, it is insufficienC for the determination e: reclama-
tion feasibility. '-- - - - -
The information provided 'with respect to the fill is too limited in depth and
__`==--~ateet=of-sampi~n~-The eaterial will be-mixed and rearranged during the re-
grading process. For this: reason it is important that it be sufficiently
(; demonstrated that any material which may be exposed during the regrading pro-
cess is suitable for use as a plant growth medium and this stipulation is the
preferred alternative to assure compliance. - -
The applicant proposes to test the soil and add the appropriate fertilizers •_
'~i'-' one year after seeding and planting. The applicant's justif ication for this
is that fertilization prior to seeding will encourage undesirable weedy spe-
__ ties to invade the reclaimed site. However, because phosphorous is relatively
' immobile and does not readily leach into the soil, it is best to incorporate - "
it into the soil prior to seeding and consequently stipulated in the preferred
alternative section.
The McClane Canyon site is located in an area that normally receives less than
10 Snches of rainfall annually. This may be detrimental to revegetation. For '
this reason the surface manipulation of the soils is needed prior to seeding.
Contour furrowing would protect the soil from erosion as well as enhance water
holding capacity and availability to vegetation. Salt Creek Mining Company
plans to rough the surface in areas to be broadcast seeded but intends to -
grade other areas. See required stipulation regarding this in preferred al-
ternative,
Vegetation
The :Sunger Canyon project contains the same vegetation types and is located
contiguously to the tlcClane Canyon site. Abl.otic factors affecting the occur-
~~ rence of vegetation communities ar e similar. For this reason, data from the
two sites for productivity of the above communities were compared to deternine
if the conmunLtles of `ScClane and :lunger Canyon were from differing popula-