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Natural Soda, Inc. <br />2005 PROJECT STATUS AND ANNUAL PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT SUMMARY <br />This report summarizes 2005 process operations, production activities, reclamation status, <br />geotechnical and environmental monitoring results as well as status of all surface facilities and <br />project wells. On February 20, 2003 Natural Soda, Inc. (NSI) purchased the White River <br />Nahcolite Minerals project. All NSI operations are located at the former White River Nahcolite <br />(WRN) and Natec facilities. Operations at NSI were essentially continuous throughout 2005 to <br />meet market demands. Proposed operations for 2006 will be described in this report. <br />Significant technical considerations and/or proposed changes in operations are presented. <br />2.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AREA <br />2.1 Location and Regional Setting <br />Four NSI sodium leases are located in the Piceance Creek Basin, Rio Blanco County of <br />northwestern Colorado (see Figure 2-1 and 2-1 A). The sodium lease tracts are located <br />between Yellow Creek and Ryan Gulch approximately 41 miles from Meeker, Colorado and 53 <br />miles from Rifle, Colorado by automobile. The climate of the area is semi-arid with annual <br />precipitation averaging 12-14 inches. Precipitation generally occurs as snow from November to <br />March and as rain during the remainder of the year. The vegetation is predominantly <br />sagebrush, pinon-pine; Utah juniper, western wheatgrass, and needle thread grass. The total <br />area contained within the four sodium leases or mining unit is 8,222.6 acres. The location of <br />the principle operation is: T1 S, R98W, and Section 26. Figure 2-1 shows the Natural Soda <br />leases and regional map setting and Figure 2-1A shows sodium leases within the Piceance <br />Basin. <br />-1- <br />