Laserfiche WebLink
2006 Annual Reclamation Report <br />Southfield Mine <br />May l4, 2007 <br />Page 4 <br />Previous Revegetated Areas <br />Previously revegetated areas at the Mine Site include the main facilities area, small ancillary <br />facility azeas, and the west portion of the refuse disposal area that were revegetated in 2003. <br />The remaining previously revegetated areas (pre 2003) lie primarily on the east and mid portion <br />of the refuse disposal area. The more recent areas seeded and mulched in 2003 exhibited good <br />vegetative response due to generous moisture received during the previous winter and spring <br />seasons. Revegetated azeas done in eazlier years on the refuse pile and in the Loadout Area <br />show effective establishment and erosion control. <br />The Loadout Area was seeded to the permanent revegetation seed mixture in 1997. Poor initial <br />vegetative establishment resulted in the decision to reseed the entire Loadout Area in 1999. <br />Limited topsoil availability and extended drought conditions had hindered effective vegetative <br />reestablishment in the Loadout Area. Through ongoing discussions with the DMG, limited <br />interseeding (25 percent) of the reclaimed Loadout areas was approved by the DMG, with the <br />understanding that this limited work would not affect the current liability schedule (10-yeaz <br />period initiated by secondary reseeding in 1999). <br />IME, Inc., sample/monitored the Loadout site during the summer season of 2006. Results of <br />data obtained from the monitoring is included in the Revegetation Monitoring Report for <br />Reclaimed Areas in the section titled "Loadout Reclamation". <br />EFCI has revegetated a cumulative total of approximately 82.1 acres at the Mine Site and <br />Loadout azes as shown on the attached Annual Reclamation Report form. Maps accompanying <br />this report show all revegetated areas, with the exception of approximately 1.5 acres of minor <br />road segments revegetated in 2003 at the North Well and Corley Well areas. <br />The previously revegetated azeas aze shown on Map 1, Mine Site Reclamation, Map 2, <br />Ancillary Facility Areas Reclamation, and Map 3, Loadout Area Reclamation. As previously <br />stated, during the current reporting yeaz, 2006, Mr. Kent Crofts of LM.E., Inc., did the interim <br />revegetation sampling and reporting at the mine site, the refuse pile area and at the Loadout site. <br />According to the conclusion of the report, as recommended by the Division, 15 cover transects, <br />30 production transect and 30 shrub density transects were sampled on each reclaimed site. <br />Comparisons of the various revegetation data required are well detailed in IME's 2006 <br />Monitoring Report. It is IME's opinion that, based on their 2006 interim monitoring with respect <br />to woody plant density for the mine portal azea and the warm season species diversity, the <br />existing Permit Revegetation Success Standazds aze impossible to achieve. IME recommends that <br />EFCI submits a Minor Revision to modify the existing revegetation success standards in the <br />permit document. <br />