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soils This study included field investigations to verify the kind, extent, and distribution of soils as shown by the existing Soil Conservation Service, USDA, Standard Soil Survey of South Weld County, Colorado, which was completed in 1975. In addition, soils were sampled for laboratory characterization of properties important for assessing reclamation alternatives. Laboratory analyses were not made for soils of the meadow area since it is not proposed as part of the actual mining site. The diversity of soils found on the study area is not great. This reflects the nature of the parent material which is wind-deposited sand compzised mainly of quartz. Due to the nature of the parent material, the range in chemical and physical properties is narrow. Rationale for determining the kind and amount of soil laboratory characterization data needed to adequately describe the soil resources was based on the nature of the parent material. The likelihood of toxic elements and/or other chemical constituents detrimental to either plant growth and/or environmental quality is highly remote considering the sandy wind-blown parent material. Thus, the soil properties selected for study were those of primary importance in establishing the basic soil-plant nutrient-plant moisture relationship that exist within the study area. ' Soil Mapping Units Two soil series, the valent and the Osgood, make up most of the area on the groposed mine site west of Ennis Draw. Both soils are extremely Sandy. The Osgood is a deeply developed soil with a slight increase in clay in the subsoil, whereas the Valent has shallower soil develop- ,. ment as shown by lighter colors in the subsoil and with no increase in clay with depth. Detailed soil series descrip- tions are in Appendix A. The following soil mapping des- criptions are keyed into the soil map accompanying this report.