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Summary <br />The Review Process <br />The Division received a complete application for PR-Ol on August 4, 1992. <br />Acknowledgement of this was made to the operator and engineering firm handling <br />the permit revision on August 11, 1992. Publication of the proposed permit <br />revision was made August 27, September 3, 10 and 17, 1992 in the San Miguei <br />Basin Forum. Staff comments generated in regard to adequacy issues identified <br />during the review of the proposed revision were conveyed to J.E. Stover and <br />Associates in a letter dated October 15, 1992. The final revised narrative <br />and maps were received on November 6, 1992. Since the remaining issues were <br />addressed with this material, the Division is proposing to approve the <br />application for PR-O1. <br />Description of the Environment <br />Introduction <br />The Hamilton Mine permit area encompasses 677 acres. The proposed PR-Ol <br />520 acre area lies adjacent to the east boundary of the existing permit in <br />Section 33 North of the permit area in Section 28. <br />The area is situated atop a gently north sloping mesa overlooking Naturita <br />Creek and the San Miguel River. The mesa is part of an extensive flat-land <br />area which extends southeast to the San Juan Mountains. The area was formed <br />from the resistant, Cretaceous-age Dakota Sandstone and Burro Canyon <br />Formation. The Dakota Sandstone is the bedrock of the mine area and contains <br />the coal to be mined. The mesa to be mined is bounded on the west by Bramiers <br />Draw and on the east by Long Draw. The northernmost permit boundary is <br />approximately one mile south of Naturita Canyon. The southern permit area <br />boundary is 1.5 miles south of and parallel to the northern permit area <br />boundary. <br />The mine will be located within the southeast portion of the Colorado Plateau. <br />The region is characterized by broad, fairly smooth surfaced plateaus and <br />mesas with gently dipping slopes dissected by steep canyons. Surface <br />elevations at the Hamilton Mine range from a high of 6,050 feet (MSL) in the <br />southern part of the permit area to a low of 5,800 feet in the northern parts <br />of the permit area. Total topographic relief is thus about 250 feet. <br />Climate <br />The regional climate of the Hamilton Mine area is typical of intermountain <br />regions. It is characterized by cold winters, hot summers, low rainfall, and <br />short growing seasons. The Hamilton Mine receives approximately twelve inches <br />of precipitation in an average year. The majority of the precipitation falls <br />between October and May. <br />Regional Geology <br />The Hamilton Mine is located near the axis of the Nucla Syncline (San Miguel <br />Syncline) a shallow, broad synclinal fold running northwesterly for 65 miles. <br />No evidence of faults has been observed in drill holes at the Hamilton Mine <br />area. The Nucla Syncline is 10-15 miles southwest of the major regional <br />-1- <br />