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MINING PLAN <br />METHOD OF MINING: <br />TOPSOIL SALVAGE - As described in the Soils Information (Exhibit I), the soil in the <br />Little Johnson area is atypical. The soil is a blend of the original soil plus the fine sediment that <br />accumulated in the bottom of the reservoir. From the drill logs it appears the soil is deepest in the <br />middle and eastern portions of the affected land. Because the water table rapidly rises in the eastern <br />portions of the affected land area it is entirely possible that removal of the soil alone will expose moist <br />sand which would result in essentially no or very little sand recovery being possible. In effect, at some <br />point along a west to east line across the reservoir site, possible sand recovery will decline to <br />essentially zero. Based on water table depths derived from monitoring wells it appeazs that point is <br />about 100 feet east of the upper water zone extraction wells. It might extend somewhat further east, <br />but that does not appear likely due to decreasing water table depth and increasing soil depth. <br />The actual amount of soil to be removed cannot be determined as that is regulated by the point <br />at which comparatively clean sand is encountered. In the western portions of the Little Johnson area <br />that depth is probably no more than a few feet, but as the extraction moves eastward this depth is <br />likely to increase to several feet. As described in the soil information, it is likely that some of the fines <br />that accumulated on the bottom of the reservoir, over time, worked their way down into the <br />underlying sand thereby contaminating it and rendering it difficult to wash into a marketable product. <br />Once again, it is not known how deep this infiltration (illuviation) actually extended but it <br />undoubtedly occurred to some extent. <br />Stockpiling of the soil will occur in the southwestern corner of the Little Johnson area (see <br />Exhibit C). It is likely that silt fencing will be needed along the east side of the stockpile azea to <br />prevent sediment from entering the wetlands east of the stockpile. This stockpile location was selected <br />and designated at the request of the landowner to anticipate possible future uses of that material for <br />construction of their reservoir. Stockpiling at this location provides for a versatile future use of the <br />soil in the event the final reclamation must change before the reclamation described in Exhibit E is <br />implemented. During the soil and overburden removal it is important to monitor the underlying <br />material as it is exposed to watch for a rapid moistening of the exposed material. In effect, soil <br />removal depth is ultimately regulated by the same criteria that regulates the mining -when moist <br />material is eucountered removal must stop. <br />The wide zone between the expected mining limit and the affected land boundary is intended <br />to provide locations for temporary soil stockpiling (before moving the soil to the stockpile area) and <br />for equipment access to the eastern portions of the mining azea. <br />Protection for the stockpiled topsoil is required. The stockpiles should have side slopes not <br />steeper than 2:1 (the less steep the better). After stockpiling is completed and the piles have been <br />graded, the following seed mixture will be spread on the soil. Although weed growth is likely to be <br />abundant and provide excellent protection, it is desirable to have some of the species that will be used <br />Daniels Sand Pit #2 -Little Johnson Amendment - M-~s~a-oo~ Exhibit D Page 4 <br />