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Exhibit/ <br />• Manuel silt loam, 1-5% slopes, has been assigned to land capability class IIIe (irrigated), indicating severe <br />limitations that reduce the choice of plants, require special conservation practices, or both. It is also <br />assigned to land capability class VIe (non-irrigated), indicating severe limitations that make it generally <br />unsuited to cultivation and restrict its use largely to pasture, range, woodland, or wildlife habitat. The "e" <br />sub-class indicates that the main limitation of this soil is risk of erosion. <br />Penrose-Minnequa complex, 1-15% slopes <br />This complex is made up of about 60 percent Penrose channery loam. The balance is comprised of equal <br />parts of Manuel silt loam and Minnequa loam. <br />Penrose channery loam is a shallow, somewhat excessively drained soil formed on upland hills and ridges <br />in loamy residuum weathered from limestone. Permeability is moderate and the available water capacity <br />is very low. Runoff is rapid and the shrink-swell potential is low. This soil has a low to moderate water <br />erosion hazard and a low wind erosion hazard. Characteristics of the Manuel silt loam portion of this <br />complex are described in the previous section. <br />Minnequa loam is a moderately deep, well-drained soil formed on uplands in silty residuum weathered <br />from limestone. Permeability and available water capacity aze moderate. Runoff is medium and the <br />shrink-swell potential is low. This soil has a low to moderate water erosion hazard and a low wind erosion <br />hazard. The native vegetation is mainly plains grasses with some sagebrush and juniper. <br />The Penrose-Minnequa complex, 1-15% slopes has been assigned to land capability class VIIs, indicating <br />very severe limitations that make it unsuited to cultivation and restrict its use largely to pasture, range, <br />• woodland, or wildlife habitat. The "s" subclass of this complex indicates that these soils are limited <br />mainly because they are shallow, droughty, or stony. <br />Penrose-Rock outcrop complex, 25-65% slopes <br />This complex is found at the edge of the escarpment on the western edge of the Limestone Mine site. It is <br />made up of about 50 percent Penrose channery loam and 30 percent rock outcrop of limestone and <br />interbedded shale. Chazacteristics of the Penrose channery loam portion of this complex are described in <br />the previous section. The rock outcrop portion of this complex is found outside the surface mine site. <br />Penrose-Rock outcrop complex, 25-65% slopes, has been assigned to land capability class VIIs. A <br />description of this capability class is included in the previous section. <br />SOIL ANALYSIS <br />During the 1999 soils study of the surface mine area, a soil sample was collected from the surface to a <br />depth of 46 inches. The sample pit was excavated within an area of Manuel silt loam and located within <br />the proposed surface mine area. The physical and chemical chazacteristics of this sample are presented in <br />the laboratory report included in Appendix B. The physical characteristics reported appear consistent <br />with observations of two soil pits excavated during the May 2001 field visit and the description of the <br />Manuel silt loam from the county soil survey. Following are comparisons of the laboratory results with <br />the Wyoming DEQ suitability guidelines for topsoil (or topsoil substitutes). <br />The soil analytical results for the 0 to 46-inch depth for pH (7.44) was well within the suitable range of <br />• 5.5-8.5. Electrical conductivity was 2.31 mmhos/cm and is well below the upper suitability limit of 8 <br />]I80-Mine Permit Exhibits (Ju1.03.02)FINAL.doc I-2 <br />July 3, 2002 <br />