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BAMBERG ECOLOGICAL <br />Environmental Consulting Services <br />bamberg ecology <br />MEMORANDUM <br />To: Mr. Paul Glader, Hecla Mining Company <br />From: Ingrid Bamberg, Ph.D., Bamberg Ecological <br />Date: December 2, 2009 <br />Re: Results of Fall 2009 Mesita Hill Site Visit for Reclamation Status <br />This report is to document my observations on November 25, 2009 of the revegetation <br />progress to date at the Mesita Hill project (Mine Id # M-1977-227) in Costilla County, <br />Colorado. Mesita Hill is an open-pit, volcanic scoria mining operation owned by Hecla <br />Mining Company encompassing a 201.2-acre permit area. The mine is located in <br />southern Colorado in the San Luis Valley east of Highway 159 (Sec 26, T2N, R74W, 6th <br />PM). This is the second revegetation monitoring site visit since seeding in Fall 2008. <br />During 2008, the mine underwent reclamation procedures, a portion of which included <br />seeding native vegetation on the unvegetated portions of the mine site during late Octo- <br />ber to early November 2008. Soil moisture from rain and snowfall was at or above nor- <br />mal for the winter 2008-2009 and spring 2009 seasons, allowing for satisfactory early <br />germination and growth of the hand broadcast seed. During a site survey on May 22, <br />2009, 1 estimated the overall seedling density at approximate 1 to 2 individuals per <br />square foot (see Memorandum from Ingrid Bamberg to Paul Glader dated June 1, 2009). <br />This density was highly variable across the site, as is typical in deserts. Although ap- <br />parently sparse, this amount of germination and growth of seedlings was good for this <br />and climate and early point in the revegetation process. <br />Vegetative cover observed during November 2009 reflected variation in the final soil sur- <br />faces across the mine site (see Photo1). The backfilled, central flat portion of the mine <br />remains a waste rock surface without any stockpiled topsoil, but was decompacted im- <br />mediately before seed dispersal for better seed and water penetration. This area had <br />the highest average plant cover by seeded species at approximately 2% but the lowest <br />invasive species cover at 4-5% (see Photo 2). In contract, the southwestern portion of <br />the mine site that received salvaged topsoil had the lowest average seeded species <br />cover at less than 1 %, but cover by Russian thistle and other invasive species of aver- <br />2622 Valentia St. Denver, Colorado 80238 * (303) 933-7291 1