2008-04-15_REVISION - M1980244 (351)

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• 11.2 Growth Medium Materials The availability of growth medium has been updated in this section based on information from the anticipated MLE disturbances. Soil types were mapped based on existing data available from the NRCS, as confirmed by field reviews. The results of this mapping are discussed in summary in Section 4.8 of this Project Description and included in detail in Appendix 3, Volume III of this document. Growth medium removal and salvaging is addressed in Section 5.4.2 of this Project Description. There are calculated to be approximately 0.3 million yds3 of soil in the area planned to be disturbed by activities specific to the MLE. This volume was calculated based on the mapped soil types in the areas to be disturbed under the MLE, the average thicknesses of each soil type, and the past disturbances which may limit available soils. The amounts of growth medium already removed, stored, or reused to date are not included; however, the amount already salvaged or planned to be salvaged under previously approved activities is approximately 1.9 million yds3 As was noted in previous applications and earlier in this document, an extensive amount of the Cresson Project area has been historically disturbed by underground mining and related activities and, as a result, the soils that may have been suitable have been previously removed or substantially disturbed by historic mining • activities. The District has been disturbed by various mining related activities for more than 100 years. Thus, there will be limited amounts of growth medium available for salvaging prior to mining disturbance in many areas and the total volume salvaged may differ from the estimated 0.3 million yds3 outlined above. The reclamation and closure plan incorporates about six inches of growth medium replacement on OSAs, select haul roads into the surface mines, certain surface mine backfills, the recontoured VLF, facilities sites, and other ancillary disturbance areas to be revegetated. In order to accomplish this reclamation, approximately 2 million yd3 of growth medium will be required. It is estimated that approximately 2.3 million yds3 of growth medium are available from the existing and future operations areas for reclamation, indicating that there is a sufficient volume of growth medium available to accomplish the proposed reclamation. 11.3 Reclamation Procedures Reclamation proposed under the MLE is discussed in the following subsections. Contemporaneous reclamation activities will occur where feasible. After mining is completed, final reclamation activities will be concentrated in an approximate three-year period. Seeding and planting will not occur year-round, but will occur primarily in the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company Cresson Project Mine Life Extension 11-2