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<br />Tailing was found to have significantly lower electrical conductivity and <br />saturation percentage as well as lower levels of organic matter, <br />phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese, suggesting <br />its poor suitability as a growth medium without amendments of several <br />nutrients. <br />Although molybdenum and fluorine in soils around the mill and tailing were <br />slightly higher in the 1979 samples than they were in the 1976 samples, <br />"fallout" from the milling process and tailing is not necessarily <br />implicated. If the soil increase in molybdenum and fluorine were related to <br />such "fallout", lead, which is also very abundant in tailing, should also <br />have increased; however, it did not. Furthermore, since copper increased in <br />about the same proportions as molybdenum between 1976 and 1979, and copper <br />occurred in about the same amount in tailing as in 1976 soil, these <br />increases are probably not the result of activities at the mill. Similarly <br />fluoride concentrations in vegetation tissue remained the same t~etween 1976 <br />and 1979, despite high fluoride levels in tailing, again suggesting no <br />relation to tailing or mill "fallout". <br />Yery low correlation coefficients were found between soil parameters and <br />chemical composition and concentration of vegetation; hence, no predictive <br />capabilities were suggested. <br />A continuing program of periodic sampling and analysis of growth media and <br />plant tissue is planned for every three years. <br />9.1.12 Infrared Photo Monitoring of Vegetation Near Mill and Tailing <br />The vegetation surrounding the Henderson Mill and tailing pond has been <br />monitored via false color infrared aerial photography each year since 1976. <br />An analysis of photos from 1976, 1978, and 1979 was udnertaken by M.J. <br />Trlica of Colorado State University. Photographs from 1977 wrare omitted <br />from the anlaysis because of their poor quality. Comparisons .if apparent <br />vegetation vigor were made at ground stations selected in 1976. Each site <br />was visited in 1976, 1978, and 1979, and the following ground truth data <br />were collected: (1) tree diameter at breast height in centimeters, (2) tree <br />20 <br />