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millions of dollars in capital equipment capable of mining to greater <br />depths and thereby increase the reserve base. Additionally, the <br />Engineering Department carefully designs the mining plans so that no <br />fenders or rib lines are necessary to retain the spoil piles. The <br />widths of the dragline pits are optimized by careful engineering to <br />eliminate the need for coal fenders. Further recovery is achieved <br />through the employment of a contract coal-scavenger crew to continually <br />retrieve small amounts of coal left isolated along the spoil piles <br />and highwalls by the inherent limitations of the large coal-removal <br />equipment. This coal-scavenger crew, with the assistance of small <br />mobile equipment, insures the maximum recovery of the coal resource. <br />Energy Fuels currently recovers approximately 95% of the surveyed, <br />in-place coal reserves and continues in every way to maintain this <br />high production efficiency. The overall goal of Energy Fuels with <br />respect to coal recovery is to go well beyond the due dlligence, or- <br />dinary care, and generally accepted mining practices required to maximum <br />coal production under both the existing Federal Leases and private <br />Leases. Maximizing coal production while minimizing unnecessary costs <br />• are items that both the government and Energy Fuels are deeply concerned <br />with during these times of high inflation and energy shortages. <br />Energy Fuels will be mining to the maximum physical and economical <br />depths practicable utilizing the most current, best-appropriate engineering <br />and environmental technologies available today. In the Eckman Park and <br />Energy Mine No. 1 areas, the surface mining operation is constrained to <br />a maximum mining depth by the unnamed tributary of Foidel Creek along <br />with the overall economical-stripping depth of the Wadge Coal Seam, <br />which is the deepest coal to be mined; therefore, future surface mining <br />will be avoided. The operations at the Energy Mine No. 2 are virtually <br />complete. Maximum coal recovery has been attained from this area and <br />reclamation is now ensuing. <br />Reclamation Efforts and Recognition <br /> As an acknowledged leader in land reclamation in Colorado, Energy Fuels <br />• is deeply concerned about the protection and preservation of the land <br />-22- <br />