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<br />EXHIBIT I -- SOILS INFORMATION <br />(1) Soil Conservation Service site analysis in 1977 and 1985 with site reclamation pl;tn <br />comments are valid and appropriate, and the final reclamation plan as presented has been <br />developed from this input. Original soils information references "type" areas which ~o not <br />necessarily occur on this site, as no soil is available for stockpiling and later use. The <br />reclamation of the final pit will entail a soils investigation proi,~am prior to the execution of the <br />topsoil haul to the site at the end of life of mine. <br />EXHIBIT J -- VEGETATION INFORMATION <br />(1) Vegetative narrative-- the site is primarily a granite gneiss rock outcrop area of hi;;h relief <br />and sparse vegetation, dominated by jttniper/pinon trees at densities of 30 trees/acre, low <br />growing shrubs such as brickle brush, three leaf sumac, and squaw current. Several cactii <br />species such as cholla, prickly pear, and drum type cactii dominate the near surface vegetation. <br />In the limited lower slope areas where a soil horizon of sorts has developed, native grasses such <br />as needle and three, blue grams, side oats grams, red three-awn, and Indian rice-grass can be <br />found. Other shrubs found on site include winterfat, four-wing saltbush, mountain <br />mahogany(upper areas of affected land) ,and tall rabbitbrush. Overall plant densities are <br />generally less than 15% ground cover, with the exception of the SWMP area to the nerth of the <br />mining are. Here, the vegetation is more predominately tree cover due to the "soil" being course <br />alluvium material derived from the steep sloped granite outcrops areas to the west. Ground <br />cover may approach 25% in this area, with a relatively heavier occurance of the pinor and one <br />seed juniper and grass/cactii/shrub understory. Yellow sweetclover occurs as an aggressive <br />invader on disturbed areas, along with rabbitbrush and other forb/weed species. <br />(c) the estimates for rangeland carrying capacity is very low, in the range of one cow/calf unit <br />per forty acres of revegetated land. This is due to the low moisture conditions and lack of <br />surface water at this site. The retention ponds may actually induce an improvement iri grazing <br />species vegetation by virtue of improving soil moisture conditions locally in the SWIv[P area and <br />supporting grasses more suitable for open graze usage. <br />(2) Please refer to the Reclamation and mining maps for the relations of types of vegetation to <br />topography. (a) The highwall areas on the western border of the mining zone will have no <br />vegetation. (b) The SWMP sediment pond area to the north of the mining area will hs.ve a native <br />mix of trees, shrubs, and grasses of at least 25% ground cover reflecting the species presently <br />found at the site, and (c) the main pit area not included in the highwall area will be topsoiled and <br />revegetated to a mixture of trees, shrubs, and grasses per the reclamation plan, with a 'final <br />gnound cover goal of app. 25%. <br />20 <br />