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j. <br />i <br />Mined Land Reclamation Division - Attn: Edith Savage <br />1313 Sherman Street - Room 215 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br />Re: 1989 MLRD Reclamation Award Nomination - Ute Mine <br />Submitted by: Michael G. Leidich - December 7, 1989 <br />Following is information pertaining to the Ute Mine for the 1989 <br />MLRB Awards nomination. The Robinson Brick Company's reclamation <br />efforts at this mine pertain to the first two categories for <br />these awards. The overall mining plan, current mining and <br />concurrent reclamation reflect the exceptional efforts the <br />company has demonstrated to maintain and protect the environment. <br />In addition the company has worked closely with the Colorado Sail <br />Conservation Service to test different tvpes of grass seed to <br />advance the science of mined land reclamation. Therefore the <br />award category is up to the committee reviewing this nomination. <br />The Robinson Brick Company has operated the Ute Mine continuously <br />since 1954, extracting clays for its brick manufacturing process. <br />The mine is located just north of Sedalia, Colorado, east of <br />Highway 85. Pictures showing the mine are included with this <br />nomination, Although the malority of the disturbed land was <br />prelaw, the company chose to reclaim portions of the disturbed <br />acreage. As can be seen by the pictures, some of the existing <br />prelaw overburden Stockpiles have been left in a manner that <br />minimizes the visual impact. The remaining prelaw mined out <br />areas have been reclaimed. <br />The mining and reclamation plan for this mine is designed to <br />minimize the impact on the land. The operation is dynamic in <br />that the the affected is always moving. All new topsail and <br />overburden from undisturbed areas to the north are being used to <br />reclaim mined-out areas to the south. The clay is stockpiled <br />using a dozer and/or a scraper, and trucks haul the clay on a <br />demand basis to the plant. This operation is unique because the <br />amount of ]and disturbed is so small for the tonnages removed. A <br />total of 8 acres is only disturbed at a time: 3 acres stripping <br />and mining, 1.5 acres roads and stockpiles, and 3.5 acres under <br />final reclamation. <br />The pre-law area that was reclaimed in 1984 was offered to the <br />SCS for test plots far various types of seed. In the spring of <br />1985 this plant materials trial was carried out in cooperation <br />between the Robinson Brick Company and the USDA Soil Conservation <br />Service, Castle Rock Field Office. Two separate sites were used - <br />the Hogback Mine and the Ute Mine. The Robinson Brick Company <br />furnished the land, equipment, people and materials; the SCS <br />furnished the seed and expertise. At the Ute Mine the reclaimed <br />area was fertilized and eight different varieties of grass were <br />planted; each in a separate area. The growth of each tYPe was <br />then monitored over the subsequent years. Based on the results <br />of these tests, the SCS can better prescribe seed mixes for areas <br />similar to this operation. <br />