GENERAL37118

• Permit No: M1999058
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 6/10/2002
• Doc Name: Revegetation Test Plot
• From: DMG
• To: Sierra Minerals Corporation
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman SL, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
June ] 0, 2002
Rex E. Loesby~
Sierra Minerals Corp.
61645. Newport St.
C 1 CO 80111
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Re: Yule Quarry, Permit M-1999-058, Revegetation Test Plot.
Dear Mr. Loesby,
DIVISION O F
MINERALS
GEOLOGY
RECLAMATION
MINING•SAFETY
Bill Owens
Governor
Greg E. Walther
Executive Director
Michael B. LOng
Division Director
I have received your letter dated June 3, 2002, regarding the test plot at the quarry site. This is a
matter we had discussed informally a couple times recently, as a way to possibly reduce or
eliminate the need for imported topsoil for reclamation on some of the affected areas of the
permit. If the marble fines presently comprising the surface materials can be shown to adequately
allow for germination and establishment of the species in your reclamation plan, concurrent
reclamation becomes a possibility. Likewise, without the present requirement for topsoil, i.e.,
recognizing that topsoil needs may be reduced or eliminated, the bond amount may be reduced
accordingly.
The test plot has been described as fairly small, and will be easy to monitor and report annually.
Its establishment should be simple and the space it occupies is minor which, by itself requires
nothing to be formally modified on your permit at this time. The test plot is, however, an attempt
to gather meaningful information which may lead to changes in the future for the permit,
especially the approved reclamation plan. The initial studies that were performed on this
alternative growth medium made for a good starting point for this test plot.
The course to follow at this time, from my perspective, is
document the "inputs" to the plot this first year, such as seedbed preparation, method of seeding,
and species and rates of seeding, and rate of fertilizer application;
monitor the establishment of the stand of vegetation, such as which species emerged during the
first season, which ones did well and poorly, which ones matured (grew a seed head), and
possibly quantitive data such as density or percent cover; and
track the establishment and evolution of the plot over a few years, reporting the information in the
annual reports (by brief narrative and photos).
After a few years, if the information gathered from the plot appears to support the idea that
topsoil requirements may be reduced or eliminated; a technical revision may be submitted. That
will allow time for any informal modifications to be made, which may then be formally
introduced to the approved reclamation plan.