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The baseline soil chemistry evaluation indicates that the Salazar Ranch soils are non- <br />saline, non-sodic soils developed in alluvium, with sandy loam surface textures and <br />calcareous subsoils. Upon irrigation with West Pit ground water, fluoride <br />concentrations in the Salazar Ranch soils will be initially controlled by adsorption to <br />metal oxide and clay mineral surfaces such that fluoride concentrations in the soil <br />solution should remain at or below approximately 1 mg/L. Because the principal <br />mechanism of fluoride attenuation in the soil zone is adsorption, there is a finite <br />capacity of soil to sorb fluoride after which fluoride will be transported with the small <br />portion of irrigation water that percolates to ground water. <br />G.3.2 Crop Evaluation <br />An evaluation of the potential effects of fluoride in irrigation water on alfalfa was <br />completed. The conclusion was made that there would be no adverse effect on alfalfa <br />production or quality from the fluoride in irrigation water (Appendix E). Additional <br />consideration was given to the potential effects on grazing or feeding animals that <br />might ingest the alfalfa. A similar no effects conclusion was made (Appendix E). <br />G.3.3 Analysis of Ground Water Effects <br />West Pit ground water has concentrations of manganese (approximately 2 mg/L) and <br />fluoride (approximately 4.5 mg/L). The analysis presented in this section considers <br />the potential effects on ground water quality from irrigating fields at Salazar Ranch <br />with West Pit ground water. As noted in Section G.3.1, natural aeration and <br />oxidation processes within the West Pit ponds and soils below the irrigation areas will <br />remove manganese from solution such that it is unlikely that manganese will ever <br />affect ground water. Fluoride is attenuated to a lesser extent by the soils and a <br />portion of the irrigation water with fluoride will eventually reach ground water. The <br />calculations presented in this section provide an assessment of the probable fluoride <br />concentrations in downgradient ground water after irrigating with West Pit water at <br />the Salazar Ranch. <br />Battle Mountain Resources, Inc. 33 <br />P:tPmjmts\212-Ne ont(SenLuis)\SeoLms\Pecmit A-dmeot- West Pit Mmagem AV5 Report B PDFATextlRsm V-d= v5c.&c December 2007