2008-04-15_REVISION - M1980244 (351)

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• the area is less than evaporation and the geologic materials of the diatreme are sufficiently permeable as to preclude impoundment of water unless a barrier to infiltration is purposefully constructed. North Cresson Mine Area Viewshed Conservation Plan In addition to the site-wide reclamation commitments to re-establish wildlife habitat and grazing as the post-mining land use, CC&V is proposing specific additional reclamation activities for the North Cresson Mine area to mitigate impacts to aspen stands that comprise a portion of the view of the mine operations area from the City of Cripple Creek. Following mining in the North Cresson Mining area, the upper portion of the ridge facing the City of Cripple Creek will present a visual contrast of regraded, 2.5H:1V mined slopes above mature aspen and Engelmann spruce stands along the lower portion of the ridge. In order to better blend the mined land reclamation with the remaining trees, CC&V will conduct an aspen transplanting program where the reclaimed slopes meet the mature aspen stands, CC&V will excavate mature "pads" of aspen trees from defined areas within the mature stands (at the • contact line) and transplant those "pads" to the reclaimed slopes that will extend the aspen stands into the reclaimed areas in a pattern that will visually break-up the line between aspen stands and reclamation slopes above. This transplanting will be completed with a large front-end loader (992 or equivalent) at the equivalent tree density of approximately 400 mature stems per acre. For reclamation bonding purposes, CC&V has estimated that ten (10) acres of mature aspen transplanting will be needed to extend these aspen stands back into the reclaimed slopes. In addition, several of the mature aspen stands on the ridge below the North Cresson mining are currently transitioning from mature aspen to climax Engelmann spruce stands. Prior to mining in North Cresson, CC&V will remove (thin) the invading Engelmann spruce from these stands, thus prolonging the interim domination of the aspen trees. For reclamation bonding purposes, CC&V proposes to thin the Engelmann spruce from 100 acres of mature aspens in the Cripple Creek view shed below the North Cresson mining areas. CC&V will also transplant an additional five (5) acres (approximately 400 mature stems per acre) along visual and sound barriers that will be constructed prior to • Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company Cresson Project Mine Life Extension 11-7