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6.4.3 EXHIBIT C -Pre-minine and Minine Plan Map(s) of Affected Lands <br />The maps are well done and clearly illustrate the pre-mining and mining plan for this <br />area. <br />6.4.4 EXHIBIT D -Mining Plan <br />The overall mining plan appeazs to be straightforwazd with respect to extraction; <br />however, the processing portion of the plan is unclear, particulazly with respect to the <br />volume of waste material that will be generated. The narrative indicates that an on-site <br />power screen will be used to process the first phase reject and then additional processing <br />will occur at the main plant in Colorado Springs to further refine the sand and obtain the <br />final product. The reject will then be trucked back to the pit to be used as backfill during <br />the reclamation phase. In order to properly evaluate the reclamation liability and <br />determine the appropriate financial warranty, a close approximation of the volumes of <br />material involved is necessary. Please provide an estimate of the percent of reject that <br />can be expected from this deposit. <br />It was mentioned in the introduction that material would be imported since the plant <br />reject will be returned to the mining site, however, since it was generated from that site <br />"technically" it is not being imported. Since the operator has other mines from which <br />material is processed at their main plant, how will the material processed from this site be <br />kept sepazate from other sites? If there is not a clear procedure for this the applicant may <br />want to consider addressing the requirements of Rule 3.1.5(9), which allows for the <br />importation of off-site material as long as it is inert. <br />The mining plan calls for salvaging 6 inches of topsoil, but the reclamation plan calls for <br />replacement of 4 inches. Why is there a discrepancy? Also, although the soil survey <br />describes the various profiles as having a surface layer of 4-6 inches, the effective rooting <br />depth is 60 inches. Also, the immediately underlying layer of soil is usually described as <br />being brownish sand about 6 inches in depth for two of the soils and a sandy loam 24 <br />inches thick for the other soil. In other words, the available "topsoil" is not necessarily <br />the single surface horizon. It appears that the top foot of this sandy soil is higher in <br />organic matter and likely facilitates the active exchange of nutrients for this plant <br />community as well as providing for better water holding capacity. Our experience is that <br />more topsoil salvaged and replaced leads to more successful reclamation. It would <br />appear that in this situation 6-12 inches of topsoil should be salvaged with a minimum <br />replacement of 6 inches. This would allow the equipment operators to utilize color <br />change as an indicator while stripping is occurring. In addition, replacing a thicker layer <br />of the most suitable growth medium will provide for a better chance of successful <br />revegetation establishment. Please clarify the stripping and replacement depths for the <br />topsoil. <br />