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<br />1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY -START OF ACTIVE OPERATIONS <br />The following Annual Report addresses American Soda's Yankee Gulch Sodium <br />Minerals Project, located in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. In accordance with <br />C.R.S. 34-32-116(3](a), the Annual Report provides a summary of the surface <br />disturbance and reclamation performed during the current reporting period from <br />' July 13, 2000 to July 12, 2001 (2000 - 2001 ], as well as planned disturbance <br />and reclamation for the next reporting period from July 13, 2001 -July 12, <br />2002 (2001 - 2002]. Activities at the Yankee Gulch Project during the <br />reporting period were conducted under the regulatory guidance and inspection <br />oversight of the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) under Permit <br />No. M-99-002. <br />' The 2000 - 2001 reporting period was highlighted by the start up of commercial <br />operations for the Yankee Gulch Project. Construction of the project was <br />completed in early October 2000. The start of active mining operations occurred <br />immediately thereafter on October 9, 2000. With start up, American Soda <br />' began the solution mining process of circulating heated water through the well <br />field to extract nahcolite. Over the course of the reporting period since start up, <br />the nahcolite extraction rate has gradually increased as the solution mining <br />' cavities have grown over time. American Soda began shipping finished soda ash <br />and sodium bicarbonate products from its Parachute Processing Operation in <br />late-November 2000. <br />' As part of this Annual Report, American Soda has prepared maps identifying <br />' areas where disturbance has occurred during the report period. Figure 1 <br />provides a general location map of the American Soda Piceance Site Mining <br />Operation. Figure 2 provides a detailed map of the Piceance Site Processing <br />Facility and its surroundings. Figure 3 provides a detailed map of the 0 - 5 year <br />mining panel, where the majority of surface disturbance has occurred to date. <br />Figure 3 also identifies American Soda's Pilot Plant Area, which was developed in <br />' 1997. <br />Section 2.0 of this report addresses permit modifications for the Yankee Gulch <br />Project during the 2000 - 2001 permit period. Section 3.0 addresses the <br />status of American Soda's project operations, including the extent of current <br />' disturbances and additional disturbance planned for 2001 - 2002. Finally, <br />Section 4.0 describes reclamation that has occurred to date and is planned for <br />the 2001 - 2002 reporting period. <br /> <br />1 <br />American Soda, LL P. <br />' OMG Annual Report <br />July 13, 2001 <br />