APPCOR10430

• Permit No: C1989074
• IBM Index Class Name: Application Correspondence
• Doc Date: 4/19/1989
• Doc Name: RIMROCK MINE PERMIT REVIEW C-89-074
• From: MLRD
• To: JIM STEVENS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLORADO
Roy Romer, Gove
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
MINED LAND RECLAMATION DIVISION
FRED R. BANTA, Director
DATE: April 19 ,1989
T0: Jim Stevens 1 \
FROM: Tony Waldron ~ W
RE: Rimrock Mine Permit Review (C-89-074)
As requested, I have completed reviewing the Rimrock Mine application
for adequacy in the following categories: Soil Resource Information,
Prime Farmland Investigation, Topsoil (removal and storage), and Topsoil
(redistribution). There are several items which, in my opinion, are
inadequate for the purpose of making a decision at this time.
2.04.9(1)(c) Soil Resource Information
The first area I would like to see addressed in more detail is the Soil
Resource Information. Avast majority (greater than 90 a) of the proposed
disturbance within the permit area is encompassed by the Ayon-Capulin soil
complex. A soil complex is defined as an area of two or more soils, so
intricately mixed or so small in size that they cannot be shown separately
on the soil maps utilized by the SCS in producing soil surveys. The
Ayon-Capulin complex is comprised mostly of two soils, the Ayon very stony
loam and the Capulin loam. Also included in this complex are narrow bands
of shingle silt clay loam. Based on the soils description submitted with the
application, the two majority soils are quite different with respect to their
textures. The Ayon soil is stony or gravelly throughout its profile while
the Capulin soil is not stony or gravelly until a depth of two feet. from
this description it appears that the Capulin soil would outperform the Ayon
soil and provide a more suitable seedbed and cover material for reclamation
purposes. A mixture of the soils would probably work well also.
The problem with the information submitted is that the soils resource map only
delineates the complex as a whole and not the fractions of the complex
composed of the Ayon and Capulin soils separately. This limits my ability to
determine the true extent of the soil resources available which in turn limits
my ability to determine a suitable stripping depth. According to Rule 2.04.9
the applicant shall provide adequate soils information to determine the
physical and chemical properties as well as the variability and complexity of
the soils within the permit area. Therefore, I propose that several
(approximately one (1) per five (5) acres) soil pits be dug cross sectional to
the topography and the exposed profiles described. The resultant data should
then be mapped to detail the extent of each soil in the proposed disturbance
215 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203-2273 Tel. [phone]