1995-03-22_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M1977451

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SR-11 (Ike #1 Mine) Designated Mining Operation January 31, 1995 - Page 2 P, The average annual precipitation here at 7000 feet elevation is approximately 15 inches. Evapotranspiration in this semi-arid, ' south-facing location would be over twice that amount. Therefore, almost all rain and snow melt will infiltrate the porous dump material with probably no more than 40% ever percolating completely through the pile, the rest being returned to the atmosphere via evaporation or being absorbed by the dry but porous rock. It can also be seen on the map that the toe of the dump will remain north of the county road. Cotter will be required by law to implement a Stormwater Management Plan once mine construction begins. A berm along the road with a containment structure and silt fences at the lowest spot will effectively stop any surface runoff; thereby eliminating any offsite contamination by surface waters. The bulk of the material composing the dump will be mudstone and sandstone from the decline which will be from the lower Brushy Basin and upper Salt Wash, that is the unweathered analog of the present surface rocks. There will undoubtedly be some erratically scattered fragments of ore and low-grade in the pile from development drifting and mining once the decline is completed. Furthermore, ore will temporarily be stockpiled on top of the waste dump. However, it is my contention that these rocks, including any grade of mineralization, do not constitute a "toxic-forming" material in the local surficial environment. ; p�Q This argument is based on the geology, mineralogy and geochemistry of the ore and host rocks, which is discussed later in this report. ns Drilling indicated that only spotty, minor amounts of perched ground water exists in the proposed mining area. Therefore, no mine water will be discharged from the site. Furthermore, there are no live streams near here, including the major receiving drainage, Summit Canyon, which is an intermittent stream tributary of the Dolores River, joining it some 8 miles downstream, just north of Poverty Flats (the site of the abandoned Slick Rock Uranium Mill, presently an UMTRA project in the planning stage) . Scores of other uranium-vanadium mine dumps are exposed around this drainage rim. As far as the old Ike No. 1 Mine dump is concerned, it has been reclaimed and is no longer exposing any toxic-forming materials. I am sure you have read the "recent inspection reports" in which the Division of Minerals and Geology states that the "original 2 acre site is almost completely reclaimed. " They mention that topsoil has been replaced and seeded and that the waste dump may need reseeded. However, that was in September, 1993 .