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<br />pipe rack network. The extent of land disturbance within each mining panel will not be total, <br />but it will be significant. Staged reclamation of the well field as solution mining panels are <br />retired will minimize the size of the disturbance area at any given time throughout the project <br />life. <br />As individual solution mining wells are retired they will be stabilized using suitable interim- <br />stabiliza[ion techniques, as described in The Plan, to prevent erosion until final reclamation of <br />all or part of that specific mining panel is undertaken. Roads that will not be needed to serve <br />subsequent development within the mining panel will be similarly stabilized. Each well pad <br />will be contemporaneously reclaimed after it is permanently retired. Interim stability techniques <br />will be used only on areas that will be redisturbed. <br />Final reclamation of each mining panel or part of a mining panel can only be accomplished once <br />mining activities in [he panel or part of a panel have been concluded. At that point, the solution <br />mining wells will have been properly abandoned, [he solution collector pipes, pipe racks, <br />electrical panels, and pumps will be removed to serve other areas, and the well field access <br />roads can be abandoned as appropriate. Final reclamation would immediately follow the <br />completion of abandonment and decommissioning activities. <br />At any time, the disturbed arca in the well field will roughly approximate the size of one of the <br />mining panels. The amount of land expected to be substantially disturbed within a mining <br />panel conservatively ranges from 125 acres to 209 acres and averages about 172 acres. Actua! <br />physical disturbance and clearing will likely be less. <br />2.2.2 Surface Facilities <br />American Soda anticipates operating the Yankee Gulch Project indefinitely (Steigers <br />Corporation, 1998). Therefore, most of the surface facilities outside the mining panels will <br />function long term, and their reclamation would occur in the distant future. Development and <br />operation of the plant site facilities (Piccance Site and Parachute Site) will be in accordance with <br />this document. Five buildings will be locatcd at the Yankee Gulch Project Piceance Site in the <br />initial plant processing area, including the administration, solution processing, pumphouse, <br />heat exchanger and general purpose buildings. Also, an electric substation, a generator, <br />outdoor switch gear, a pipeline feed surge tank. a return water collection tank, a cooling tower <br />and parking lots will be constructed. The Piceance Si[e plan[ will occupy an area about 6.5 <br />acres in size, with access controlled by security fencing. A l3-acre evaporation pond will be <br />located near the processing plant. <br />The Parachute Site will support a processing plant area, which will include process buildings, a <br />storage building, storage tanks, an administrative and laboratory building, product packaging <br />and loadout facilities, utilities, a rail spur, several ponds and other associated facilities. The <br />Parachute Site is associated with an existing inactive industrial facility. As a result, <br />development of the Parachute Site will result in minimal land disturbance. Minor relocation of <br />the existing railroad spur may result in 2 to 3 acres of additional land disturbance. <br />Since these facilities will be operated long-tetra for the life of the project, final reclamation <br />measures are not stipulated in The Plan. These measures will be finalized by American Soda <br />and the appropriate agencies as the project nears completion. However, it is anticipated that <br />general closure and reclamation concepts will be implemented. Facilities will be <br />decommissioned in preparation for removal. Decommissioning will involve disassembly and <br />removal from the site of all salvageable equipment, instrumentation, parts, and supplies. All <br />structures and facilities will be salvaged, if feasible, or demolished. Any non-salvageable <br />AmCnLLI Soda. L.L.P. 2-2 <br />Soil Conurvanon. Emsian and Scdimenl <br />Control. Reclamauan, and Revegclanon Plan <br />October ?8. 1998 <br />Revised April 9, 1999 <br />