Laserfiche WebLink
<br />3. T'he application letter lists Au, Ag, and base metals as the <br />commodities to be mined, although the rest of the application <br />and reclamation plan discuss rock products such as aggregate <br />as a major component of the mining activity. It is the <br />current plan of the Company to make remining dump material for <br />aggregate production as the primary activity for the time <br />being. <br />4. The area to be disturbed by mining operations is being <br />reduced. As we discussed on our inspection tour, May 27, <br />1994, the western end of the property is being excluded from <br />the permit area. Specifically, the western boundary will be <br />a N-S perpendicular line from I-70, ten feet east of the <br />Smuggler Mine workings. The southern boundary is as depicted <br />on the current map, however, it excludes the yellowish, <br />oxidized material on the slope to the frontage road, but <br />includes the material on the ridge above the slope. <br />Mining and Reclamation Plan Chances <br />Although an agreement has not been signed to allow a contractor to <br />remine the dumps, the Company wishes to define the sequence of <br />remining that would take place. We will notify you in writing at <br />the time that an agreement is signed, and request any additional <br />modifications that may be necessary. The proposed remining <br />activity would involve producing an aggregate material for paving <br />portions of I-70, and may be approached as a 111 permit, although <br />we are not sure at this time. <br />Concurrently, the Company is soliciting bids for the gravity plant <br />that is within the permit area. The plant is not included in any <br />of the current mining plans, and may be dismantled and sold. If it <br />is not sold, it will remain as a permanent pre-existing structure <br />on the site. We do not believe that any bond should be applied to <br />the gr•svity plant. Likewise, the Mendota Mine buildings near the <br />Mendota portal are considered permanent structures, and have <br />commer~~ial value after reclamation. We do not believe that they <br />should be included in any bond. <br />Phase 1 <br />Phase 1 activities would focus on the removal of significant <br />portions of the Slide Dump from the areas around the gravity plant <br />and up to the newly defined western boundary, near the old Smuggler <br />Mine workings. The extent of removal is dependent upon the size of <br />the I-70 project, but is estimated to be 30,000 to 50,000 in the <br />first year. If the Slide Dump is not excavated to the original <br />ground contour, reclamation would be limited to stabilizing the <br />slopes of the remaining dump material to prevent rock slides. If <br />the removal exposes the original ground contour, it will be leveled <br />and prepped for a commercial building site. If commercial <br />