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• t <br />be located immediately west of new well WRNM 4-3H, as illustrated on <br />attached map titled "Site Plan for 1994". The requested acreage will enable <br />WRNM to solution mine 3.5 times as much sodium bicarbonate (143,500 tons) <br />utilizing three wells. T'he original plan was for 1000 foot cavities producing <br />41,000 tons and two wells. On March 22, 1994 the DMG approved 2000 foot <br />cavities. Based on studies by Agapito and Associates (rock mechanics <br />consultant for WRNM, longer cavities do not change cavity stability and <br />subsidence. The only constraint is horizontal drilling technology, and drilling <br />consultants have deterntined that 3500 feet is feasible. If approved, the 3500 <br />foot cavity would reduce mining costs, and acreage disturbed per ton of sodium <br />bicarbonate produced. The 3500 foot cavities would run from the southern <br />bounty of the BLM lease (with mandatory 500 foot bounty offset), and run north <br />toward area of know halite (sodium chloride) transition zone. If halite (which <br />limits nahcolite mining] is present in the northem extent of the drilling, the <br />portion without halite will be mined. Drilling and mining the 3500 foot cavity <br />#4, would allow resource recovery of area to the south, and help identify <br />northern boundary of nahcolite/halite interface and increase resource recovery <br />from an area previously thought to be non-minable (nahcolite/halite interface). <br />The two vertical wells (WRNM 4-1V and 4-2V) would be drilled and cored to <br />provide geological and chemical assay information in and near the mining zone. <br />The vertical wells will be completed as recovery/injection wells. If sodium <br />chloride or other problems were encountered while mining cavity #4, the two <br />vertical wells will provide flexibility to mine or omit areas within the cavity. <br />Enclosed please find a check in the amount of $150.00 to cover processing fee <br />for this Technical Revision. Amore complete breakdown of 1994 and planned <br />1995 disturbances will be in the 1994 Annual Report. <br />If there are any questions, please contact me. <br />Sincerely, <br />C~ s~~~1 e--L_ <br />Ed Baker, REM <br />cc: BLM-Meeker <br />