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MINING PLAN <br />1. EXISTING LAND USE <br />D <br />The site is irregular in shape. It is approximately 1650 feet in length north/south, and 3800 feet at <br />it's widest east/west point. The property was previously used as part of a petroleum refining facility <br />which ceased to operate several years ago. The only part of the permit azea that has not been se- <br />verely disturbed from past refinery activities is a 6.46 acre area on the western edge of the permit. <br />The predominant feature on the site includes 3 oxidation and 2 evaporation ponds from the old re- <br />finery. In the north central part of the permit area, a staging area of approximately 13.5 acres in size <br />will be utilized for processing and stockpiling. A portion of this area has been used as a land fill for <br />solid waste generated by the former refinery facility. It also may have a potential asbestos dump <br />area. For these reasons, the staging area will not be excavated; it will be covered with clean over- <br />burden from the first mining phase and the sediment pond. All of the existing land use is considered <br />to be "industrial" based on rezoning approvals obtained from the County in the Spring of 2000. The <br />permit area is part of a compliance order issued by the Colorado Department of Health, (Compli- <br />ance Order No. 98-06-OS-Ol), however, the Department has issued an approval to allow gravel min- <br />ing on th'e site under the conditions of the Waste Management Contingency Plan, which is included <br />in Appendix D of this application. Map C-1 shows the existing site topography, as well as property <br />lines, easements and land use details. <br />Topography is flat in nature and slopes southerly to the flat bottom ponds. The ponds range from <br />two to eight feet in depth. Any storm water which might currently leave the property from areas <br />above the ponds is conveyed overland to the Colorado River. Most of [he property is void of any <br />vegetation growth. Weeds are the main vegetation present. <br />The property is currently zoned I (industrial) by Mesa County. In March of 2000, part of the site <br />was rezoned from AFT (agricultural, forestry, transitional) to industrial to allow the gravel pit. The <br />Gilsonite Pit 5/03 5 <br />