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MINING PLAN <br />Aggregates will be removed from the deposit by front-end loader and will be transported directly to <br />the processing plant via conveyor. No specific conveyor routes are shown on the mining plan map because <br />these will frequently change as the deposit is mined. <br />Extraction of the aggregate, of course, will only occur where the topsoil and overburden has been <br />previously removed. Mining aggregate prior to such removal would not only waste the soil and overburden <br />resource, but would necessarily create a severe contamination of the final product and render washing far <br />more difficult. The topsoil and overburden in the amendment area is fairly thin, but is a critical resource for <br />re-establishing the vegetation in this area. <br />Topsoil Salvage and Stockpiling <br />As stated above, topsoil within the amendment area is critical to the successful re-establishment of <br />the vegetation in this area. The soil resources here simply cannot be lost or the revegetation requirements <br />may not be met sufficiently. <br />All soil above the gravel layer will be removed and stockpiled in locations that will allow for easy <br />replacement over the backfilled pit in the amendment area. The soil removed from this azea will be returned <br />to this area. Therefore, storage of the soil near the site is desirable, although not mandatory. No storage of <br />soil will occur in the area of the river setback and buffer area. Those setbacks and buffers must remain <br />undisturbed to provide proper protection for the operation. <br />Overburden Stripping and Storage <br />Much of the overburden present in the initial mining area (pre-Amendment 2 permit area) was <br />consumed in the construction of the plant site. To create a plant site that was high enough above the <br />elevation of the adjacent land to be protected from all but the most significant floods required a very large <br />amount of overburden. This overburden will not be removed once the plant site is closed, but will remain in <br />place. It could serve as an excellent area for a building site in the future. <br />Other stripped overburden will either be temporarily stockpiled neaz locations where it will be used <br />as backfill, or it will be disposed of immediately into an area that needs to be backfilled Thus, overburden <br />storage should not become a serious problem To reduce the amount of land that might require <br />augmentation where groundwater is exposed, use of the overburden to backfill mined areas is a highly <br />beneficial use. Although some of this material could be sold as a product, as a rule the overburden contains <br />a considerable amount of clay which greatly limits how it can be used. Thus, using it as backfill is an <br />excellent use. <br />The overburden exists not only directly above the gravel but usually immediately above [he ground <br />water level. At certain times of the year (late winter) the ground water level may decline to the point where <br />Pueblo East Pit Amendment 2 (2004) Exhibit D Page 4 of 6 <br />