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V. MINE SURFACE FACILITIES RECLAMATION PLAN <br />V.A Sealing of Mine Openings and Drill Holes <br />All mine openings and drill holes are located, designed, and constructed to prevent gravity <br />discharge of water from the mine. <br />All exploration holes, drill holes, shafts and wells are cased or otherwise managed as <br />approved by the regulatory authority. Holes uncovered or exposed during mine operations <br />are permanently plugged unless approved for water monitoring or otherwise managed as <br />approved by the regulatory authority. <br />Drill holes or wells which the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wishes to retain for use as <br />water wells shall be transferred to the control of the BLM. <br />Except for wells transferred to BLM control and openings required for ventilation of the mine, <br />all other holes or openings will be permanently sealed at the end of their useful functions. <br />The drill holes (including vent holes) will be plugged by placing a cement plug in the casing <br />from a depth of 10 feet to the surface. Excessive casing extending above the surface shall <br />be removed to about 2 or 3 inches above the surface. An identification cap will be grouted in <br />the top of the remaining casing. This permanent sealing method for drill holes is essentially <br />the same as shown on Figure V-1 of the permit with the exception that the remaining casing <br />and ID cap serve as the permanent hole marker. <br />Sloping ventilation shafts and portal entries will be plugged with an unreinforced wall of <br />concrete 2 feet thick or greater. The concrete will be poured in the space between two <br />bulkheads consisting of 8-inch concrete blocks or other approved materials. Prior to <br />plugging, the tunnel will be filled with incombustible material for a distance of at least 25 feet <br />from the mouth (Section 4.07.3). See Figure V-2. <br />All of the mine entries will be sloped in and the entry faces will be above all ground water <br />levels, therefore ground water cannot exit through the mine entries. The elevation of the <br />bottom of the "D" Portal entries at the face is approximately 5636 feet. The estimated 50 year <br />flood level is 5629 feet, the 100 year flood is 5630 feet, and the 500 year flood is 5632 feet. <br />The elevation at the bottom of the Ventilation Area entries at the face is approximately 5380 <br />feet. The estimated 50 year flood level <br />ExhibitE-Reclamation Plan Rio BlancoSp2cialUsePermit#81.1 September2000 <br />