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II on the northern perimeter of the disposal area to contain <br />tailings. Details of these embankments are contained in Section <br />D.6.5.3. <br />D.6.2 Site Description <br />The tailings disposal site is located immediately <br />adjacent to a topographic saddle near the midpoint of a dry <br />drainage tributary to Culebra Creek, and south of the Rito <br />Seco. The upper portion, or eastern half of the site is the <br />area of the heap leach pad in the approved permit. The lower <br />portion of the tailings disposal site is the area of the <br />solution collection ponds for the heap leach in the approved <br />permit. <br />The disposal site is located on the saddle and along <br />the bottom and flanks of the valley immediately downgradient <br />and to the south of the saddle. The gradient of the natural <br />ground surface along the bottom of the valley is approximately <br />3.5 percent. The valley sidewall slopes are typically 10 to <br />25 percent with some areas as steep as 33 percent locally. The <br />total area encompassed by the tailings dispoosal area is <br />approximately 192 acres. <br />Vegetation at the site is characterized as sagebrush on <br />the saddle and valley bottom and pinyon-juniper woodlands along <br />the valley flanks. Soils in this area are primarily the <br />Blackhall gravelly sandy loam. Exhibits I and J of the approved <br />permit contain a complete discussion of soils and vegetation <br />within the project area including the tailings disposal site. <br />There are four existing intermittent drainages which <br />join the arroyo in the area which will be encompassed by the <br />tailings disposal facility. These drainages will be diverted <br />around the disposal area during operations as shown on Figures <br /> <br />D-23 <br />