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~. --- <br />INTRODUCTION <br />The objective of this study was to determine possible methods and <br />and materials for the successful establishment of diverse, functional, and <br />self-perpetuating plant communities on the mine spoils from three CF&I <br />I <br />operations. To achieve this goal research studies were established at each <br />site to test the capabilities of various revegetation practices to produce a <br />stand of vegetation with characteristics approaching those found in the native <br />I plant community. <br />I Revegetation techniques on waste material present at three mines <br />operated by CF&I Steel Corporation have been examined on an annual basis since <br />their establishment in 1976. The Allen Mine, located in the Purgatoire River <br />valley 30 miles west of Trinidad, is active in the deep mining of coal. The <br />I Canon City Dolomite Quarry, just west of Canon City in Fremont County, and <br />the Monarch Limestone Quarry at Garfield are both active in the quarrying of <br />blast furnace fluxstones. The spoil material, elevation, precipitation, 1`fe <br />zone, and surrounding current land use are outlined for each operation in <br />Table 1. <br />I <br />I Quantitative Measurements of Main Plots <br />Vegetation at all three sites was quantitatively measured using six, <br />randomly located, 0.25-m2 quadrats per subplot. Three parameters of plant <br />response to various treatments were investigated: aboveground biomass, canopy <br />cover, and density. All data were recorded on an individual species basis and <br />included identification of both seeded and invading forms. <br />