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m <br /> <br />/~ 2oo.Z - r7o 3 <br /> <br /> United States Forest Pike and San Isabel Pikes Peak Ranger District <br /> Department of Service National Forests 601 S. Weber <br />USDA Agriculture Cimarron and Comanche Colorado Springs, CO 80903 <br /> National Grasslands (719) 636-1602 <br /> <br />C/// ~ Q I (~/ Fax (719) 477-4233 <br />www.fs.ted.us/r2/psicc <br /> u <br />File Code: <br />1950/2810 <br />~tl ~~~ <br />y ~~Y 2 1 2~l)b <br />Division of Reclamation, <br />Mining and Saiety <br />Date: September 19, 2006 <br />Dear Stakeholder: / <br />The South Park Ranger District is seeking public comments on a mining proposal for the Topaz <br />Mountain Gem Mine on behalf of operator Joseph Dorris. <br />This projecT is proposed to operate annually between May and October, beginning in the spring <br />of 2007. The proposed operation could continue for five years, at which point the operation may <br />be extended for an additional five yeazs through a Forest Service approval of a modified Plan of <br />Operations. This is a well-known site that was previously operated by the deceased Walt Rubeck <br />and is no longer authorized for the on-site selling of gems. The operator has operated since 1993 <br />on other locations on this district. <br />The project takes place on the Rubeck Placer and Rubeck Placer No. 2 unpatented mining <br />claims. The project is located in Park County approximately 9 miles northwest of Lake George, <br />CO in Section 12 of Township 11 South, Range 72 West, 6 P.M. <br />The operator proposed the following: <br />• Hand tools and heavy equipment would be used to prospect and extract minerals within the <br />state permitted 4.5-acre disturbance site over the duration of the project. Dig site <br />disturbance would be limited to 0.33 acres per year. <br />• Heavy equipment such as a backhoe or track hoe would be limited to 14 six-hour days per <br />year. Heavy equipment would also be brought on site for end-of-season reclamation. <br />• Access would be by way of Co. Rd. 77, Forest Road 211 and an existing access road. No <br />new access roads_will be constructed. The existing access road will be removed and <br />reclaimed during final reclamation. <br />• The workforce would consist of 2-6 people and camping will be limited to 14 days per year. <br />• Structures would include a temporazy grizzly and 3 portable screening jigs. Other present <br />structures from the previous operator such as the retaining wall, tent platforms, concrete pads <br />and fence would be dismantled. and hauled off site. <br />• Approximately 20 gallons per day of water would be used from the existing spring for <br />washing mineral material. <br />• Approximately 0.85 acres of trees and shrubs would need to be removed during operations. <br />GD <br />ups ~~ <br />Caring for the Land and Serving People Pnntetl on Recydetl Paper <br />