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STATE OF COLORADO <br />DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman St., Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 866-3567 <br />FAX: (303) 832-8106 <br />R~~~~~u <br />AUG ~ ~j~, <br />~ivisiono/ 8 "N~l <br />Mioery/son{gepJOgr <br />DIVISION OF <br />MINERALS <br />GEOLOGY <br />RECLAMATION <br />MINING•SAFETY <br />August 12, 2003 <br />Terry V. Wetz f <br />International Uranium (USA) Corp. <br />Independence Plaza, Suite 950 <br />1050 Seventeenth Street <br />Denver, CO 80265 <br />Bill Owens <br />Governor <br />Greg E. Walther <br />Executive Director <br />Ronald W. Cattany <br />Acting Division Director <br />. / ~, <br />Re: Topaz Mine, Permit M-1980-055 HR, Technical Revision TR-O1, Preliminary Adequacy Review. <br />Dear Mr. Wetz, <br />I have reviewed the technical revision submittal referenced above, which was received here on August 4, 2003. <br />Thank you for including an extra map for our records. The packet of revision materials addresses the outstanding <br />questions about the permit boundary, as well as revises aspects of the permit's reclamation plan. I will comment on <br />each of these areas in the paragraphs below. Some of the following items do not require a response from you. For <br />those revision items which still require clarification (italicized below), an adequate response from you will be <br />required before this office may consider approving the revision request. <br />Boundary Change <br />The new map is the mining plan map, as called in Exhibit E, Rule 6.3,5(2). It is intended to clarify the permit <br />boundary questions, by revising the boundary in two locations: excluding the NW and NE corners. The areas <br />excluded from the permit have been described as having no existing disturbance. This will be verified during the <br />next onsite inspection, which need not occur before the Division's decision on this revision is made. At this point, <br />assuming that aeeas of disturbance have been accurately represented, I support the proposed revisions to the <br />boundaries, basing the east and west boundaries roughly on the locations of the gulches. This will hopefully enable <br />the boundaries to be easily marked and clearly seen by personnel onsite, so that offsite disturbances may be <br />avoided. <br />The map also depicts current mining features and existing disturbances, which appear to be contained within the <br />proposed permit boundary. Permitted area acreages are listed on the map. The mine area portion of the permit <br />contains 7.71 acres. The roads providing access from the county road to the site are also included in the permit. <br />The roads comprise additional 2.17 acres, bringing the total to 9.88 acres. This map is approvable in its present <br />form, and will be made part of the permit upon approval of this revision. <br />The access roads are not depicted in their entirety, but that is not necessary if additional description can be <br />provided: (1) Please clarify how the 2.17-acre area of the access roads is delineated, i. e., ifit is based only on the <br />gravel surface or if it also includes cut and fidl slopes, borrow ditches, etc. (2) Also, please clarify if the roads <br />contain culverts (additional to the one shown on the mapJ. <br />Reclamation Plan (Exhibit D -Rule 6.41 <br />The proposed portal closure addresses the requirement for mitigation of a hazardous opening. The burial of inert <br />debris and concrete rubble prior to backfilling with barren rock is also approvable, and will be made part of the <br />reclamation plan upon approval of this revision. This activity can act to reduce the reclamation bond by eliminating <br />