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Page 2 <br />May 5, 2009 <br />key difference in the December field work from the June work was the reconnaissance of Lumsden <br />Canyon below the mine sites. Field work components consisted of the following: <br />1. Surface reconnaissance of Lumsden Canyon and portions of the ore-bearing <br />sandstone unit outcrop area (December 3). <br />2. Underground inspection of the Whirlwind Mine workings (December 4). <br />3. Water quality sampling of selected sites (December 4). <br />Field notes, photographs, and global positioning system (GPS) coordinates were collected as needed at <br />selected locations. Field observation and sampling points are shown on Figures 1 and 2. A summary <br />of key observations is described as follows. <br />Whirlwind Mine Workings <br />An underground inspection of the Whirlwind Mine workings was conducted on December 4, 2008. <br />The purpose of the inspection was to evaluate mine-water occurrence. As in the June 2008 <br />reconnaissance, portions of the mine in which a qualitative hydrological inspection was conducted <br />included the Upper Decline, Lower Decline, Sump Area, and the rehabilitated Drift Area (including 20 <br />feet of new drift). Inspection findings revealed that mine hydrology conditions were comparable with <br />those of June 2008. Field parameters were measured at three locations during the inspection and are <br />shown in Table 1. <br />Upper Decline <br />Seepage in the upper decline area was considered minor and was characterized by moist to wet <br />deteriorated shale and road base materials on the floor of the decline, located approximately 280 ft from <br />the portal. The moist to wet material was limited in extent and did not extend down the decline for <br />more than approximately 40 ft. No channelized flow was observed on the decline floor. It is possible <br />that this groundwater is related to infiltration from colluvium at the contact with bedrock (Brushy Basin <br />Member). <br />Lower Decline <br />As discussed in the September letter report, seepage in the lower decline area is associated with a <br />sandstone bed or tense that intercepts the decline at an elevation of approximately 6,940 ft AMSL. The <br />sandstone unit is less than or equal to 5 ft thick and interpreted as a lower sandstone lense (channel <br />sand) within the Jurassic age Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation. Seepage from this <br />sandstone is the main source of water to the mine in the decline area, and occurs approximately 1,600 <br />feet from the portal. A physical description of this seepage and accompanying photographs of this <br />seepage area were provided in the September report. <br />The sump drainage system that was being installed during the first inspection was completed and <br />functioning by diverting virtually all of this seepage water to the sump. The water is collected through a <br />perforated pipe and gravel pack/filtration bed (French drain) and diverts water under the decline's floor <br />to the opposite side of the tunnel into the sump stub drift. Water in the sump is periodically pumped to <br />the surface and held in a surface storage tank before water treatment and surface discharge. The mine <br />floor did not show signs of ponded and saturated conditions at this location as it did in June 2008. <br />Weans032709.doc