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There appears to 6e only about 1215 cubic yards of topsoil that may have been salvaged from the Niwot series. In the previous permit, the operator stated: "Dverburden from past and future mining, that lies above the deposit is currently being segregated and stockpiled above the quarry site. It is estimated that approximately 41,000 to 50,000 yards ^f this colluvial sail will be needed to plate the bottom area of the quarry, stockpile and production areas. There will be mare than enough of this soil to complete the revegetation and restoration effort." It should be pointed out that the intent was to reclaim with soil taken from the uplands and not the Niwot series. The operator stated in Exhibit I of his original report "The Soil Conservation Service has written a recommendation for the employment of this soil [colluvial Land? in the lower areas of the production areas." At the time, Andesite Rock Co. took over the bottom land which was totally disturbed and it is not known if the topsoil was stockpiled er.cept for the 1215 cubic yards that remain. The soil survey of Houlder County Area, Colorado, USDA, 5oi1 Conservation Service, 1975, suggests that the depth of the colluvial Land (colluvial soil mentioned in the earlier permit) mapping unit had a depth of 60 inches where studied, but ranged from shallow (less than 20 inches) to deep (greater than 40 inches) within the county. However, the survey report did not address specific depths or properties of this mapping unit. Haled on its varibility of depth, stoniness, ter.ture, etc., the report simply stated "materials too variable to be estimated." This presents a problem. It would appear that in the earlier application, through no fault of the applicant, it was understood that an adequate soil volume would be available for reclaiming the law lands to cattle range (Exhibit E, original permit), which was based on the soil survey report. The report is somewhat mislezding as was substantiated during an on site review by the USDA, Soil Conserva- tion Service on June 23, 1977. The reviewer recog- nized that only 6-12 inches of topsoil would be available far reclamation. Therefore, in order for the applicant to reclaim with "a minimum of 12", soil would have to had been manufactured or hauled to the site from other sources. This was not the intent of the applicant, then or now.