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SECTION 2.04.9 <br /> <br />SOILS RESOURCE INFORMATION <br />Introduction <br />This report presents information aboutthe soil resources on the New Horizon Mine study area in Montrose <br />County, Colorado. Soil maps and data contained in this report have been prepared to assist WFC and the <br />Colorado Department of Minerals and Geology (CDMG) in examining the soil resources of the area wtth <br />respect to their potential use in mined land reclamation efforts. <br />Detailed soil surveys of the study area were conducted in 1988, 1996 and 1998. These Order 1 soil <br />surveys, with sampling, were conducted by ERT/Peabody Coal (1988), and Intermountain Resource <br />Inventories Inc. (IRI Inc.)(1996 and 1998) on approximately 575, 80, and 430 acres, respectively. Surveys <br />conducted in 1996 and 1998 included re-surveying portions of the 1988 survey in addition to additional <br />areas. The final survey is a composite of these three surveys and is represented in Map 2.04.9-1. Map <br />2.04.9-1 also showsthe boundaries ofthe original surveys. Soil in map units of the 1998 survey differfrom <br />those in the 1988 and 1996 survey as a result of recent changes in soil taxonomy (USDA - NRCS,1999). <br />These changes resulted in soils being classified differently than in the 1998 and 1996 survey. Based on <br />• these detailed soil surveys, recommended topsoil salvage depths were determined for each soil mapping <br />unit. <br />Objectives <br />The basic objectives of this study are to characterize the physical and chemical properties of site soils and <br />depths to which they may be salvaged as a source of topsoil for reclamation purposes. Thus, the stte- <br />specific characteristics of the soil that may influence soil salvage, stockpiling, and redistribution were <br />inventoried. This inventory entailed the following. <br />• Determination and delineation of soil mapping units. <br />• Description and sampling of representativehorizonsofeachsoilseriesandhighertaxonomicunits <br />for chemical and physical characteristics. <br />• Interpretation of the analytical results and stte-specific characteristics todetermine suitability and <br />• (REVISED2/00) 2.04.9-1 <br />