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<br /> <br />Exhibit ]r3 - ~'egetatibn Information <br />Topaz Mine -Pioneer Uravan, Inc. <br /> <br />March 10, 1980 <br />U}V1TED STi+TES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <br />SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE <br />Noro;ood field Offico 1'0 I;nx Uf3B IJorlaood, Colorado 811723 <br />SUD7F.CT; <br />TO: Flr. Charles Ponchak <br />Tioncer Ura~ran <br />YO liox 2065 <br />(rand Junction, Colorado 81>Ol <br />liar ;.r. ]'onchak: <br />pATC: 20 Sentemher, 1977 <br />'f}~is will constitute my report on the soils and vegetative imrentories we <br />made yesterday of the Carnation and Geo ;il fiines. `[7fis information is <br />being pro~rided to you for your use in obtaining mine reclamation permits. <br />As Tar as soils information is concerned, we ha~re very little data available <br />on federal Lands in the l~:est lind of Tfontrose County, l:e are anticipating <br />a soil surrey with the Ilureau of Land i1ananement next year, but this Trill <br />not be soon enough to help you. I have pro+rided ;rou with a copy of the <br />Fencral soi]. map and descriptions of the 17olores River Itasin which was <br />prepared by the SC", in 1y68. I feel that this map is fairly accurate for <br />its intended use, but is still .general. There may he Sour or fi+re soil <br />se.rics consolidated into a sin;;lc mad+pin!; unit on a map of this scale, I <br />hopo that it will satisfy your requirements for the mine reclamation permit., <br />TransnLil•ted with this ].elste.r arc copies of t.hc ve;•ctati+re inventories on <br />Forms CO-ITAM'ie;-G that we completed chcrinl; rrty ~r.isit. <br />'Che ~ref;etati•re communities at the Carnation Mine included n :;nndv Sail.tdesert <br />si,i~.c on the !;eni,lc•r outwanl; Tana and a complex of Pinyon-Juniper ~:ioodland <br />and Rockland land type.^. on the st,ceper upland areas, You indicated that <br />the aspect. and plant com+~ccnii.ies ni' the ~;unm and ;;coo iron:; trcre very <br />sirLilar to the Pinyon-Juniper / I,ocklanri complex we viewed at the Carnation <br />Mine so we didn't bother to I;o see them. Office review oJ' the quad sheets <br />shoes that the ~1umm Mine li.w- in a sheltered north-facing depression. <br />There may be better soil accumulation on this site, and certainly the <br />north aspect will make 1'or a better rlant - ..^,oi:L moisture rclatienship, <br />'L'ho ge~.o I"ine occupies a st.ecp soui,h-(acting exposure, and an,y rcve~etaticn <br />efforts will be considerahl,y more ciifi'icult, <br />I have indicated nn the in•mntory forms by asterisk the native species <br />which I i'ecl ma,^ be worthy of your consideration for re~re^etation. (hie <br />real problem that mina operators face in reel:+na+,ion work is the absence <br />or extreme ..^hort supply of a rommcrcial sourr.e of seed for nati.'re species. <br />You may wish to hand-harvest some seed of native plants local to your mininF, <br />area;, t{on-native species that ;;ou may wish to crnsider include the <br />;airway v,•u•iet;y of crested wheatgrass and the Vinall +rariety of Russian <br />_ O <br />