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<br />sumably lease #C-27931. Hole 1 could not be located on any exhi- <br />bit, figure or map. Well 1 was located, however, and since it <br />roughly corresponds to the general description of the Hole 1 <br />location Well 1 was assumed to be Hole 1. Well 1 is located <br />approximately 2,100 feet south of the most southerly extension of <br />Phase V of Pit 1. Since SAR values are known to decrease rapidly <br />toward the north it is probable that the SAR values for Pit 1 <br />overburden are lower to much lower than those noted for Hole 1 in <br />Table 4 of Appendix C. Therefore, Hole 1 may not be an accurate <br />representation of SAR values throughout the mine site. <br />This is especially important as the applicant is proposing <br />to backf.ill Phase V of Pit 1 with overburden from Phase VI of Pit <br />2, which is adjacent to hole LM18 4 which shows very high SAR <br />values on Table 10 of Appendix C. It should also be noted that, <br />since no stockpiling is planned, surface material from Phase VI- <br />Pit 2 will be backfilled in the bottom of Pit 1 and at least some <br />of the lower excavated overburden from Phase VI will probably be <br />backfilled near the surface of Phase V-Pit i. Since the lower <br />overburden in hole LMIB-4 exhibits higher SAR values than the <br />near surface overburden this will increase the likelihood that <br />the postmining overburden quality in Phase V will be degraded <br />compared to premining overburden quality. <br />This situation is aggravated by the fact that the applicant <br />is only proposing to use 18 to 24 inches, or an average of 21 <br />inches, of topsoil over the reclaimed area. Even though the <br />Manburn soil, which exhibits high SAR values close to the surface <br />(SAR=10.5 at 18-24 inches, Table 1-E of Appendix E), overlays <br />much of the Phase V area, it is probable that backfilling 18-24 <br />inches of topsoil over overburden from Phase VI would result in <br />completely unacceptable SAR values being within rooting distance <br />of the surface. This situation could severely hamper reclamation <br />success. <br />Therefore the following stipulation is proposed. <br />-49- <br />