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Exhibit D - Mining Plan (Rule 6.4.4) <br />Since the site contains extensive areas and patches of established Russian knapweed, please provide a noxious weed <br />control plan to be implemented during the mining phases. This will become an addition to this exhibit as well as to the <br />Reclamation Plan in Exhibit E. The plan should be prepared in cooperation with a local weed control authority, and <br />include monitoring and treatment schedules. If at all possible, the existing infestations should be mapped, to provide a <br />baseline of acreages so progress may be determined. <br />Please state where mining will begin and in which direction it will proceed, for each phase. All details that appear in <br />the text of this exhibit should correlate to items included in the Mining Map(s) of Exhibit C. <br />From the narrative it appears that you wish to limit the amount of disturbance throughout the mining phases, by <br />working only three acres at a time, and then commencing reclamation of (those) three acres when disturbance is <br />complete. This office must assume that mining disturbance will proceed to new areas, however, before the previous <br />three acres are fully reclaimed. Also, it is assumed that there will continually be some acreage that will remain <br />unreclaimed as mining progresses, such as roadways, stockpiles and advancing highwalls, for example. This office <br />estimates that these unreclaimed or partially reclaimed areas could amount to three acres or more at any one time. <br />Unless a different figure from you is provided, we will use that acreage estimate in the bond calculation. <br />Exhibit E - Reclamation Plan (Rule 6.4.5) <br />There are several soil types that exist in the three phases, and a different seed mix proposed for each soil type. Since <br />the native vegetation present onsite and the soil descriptions indicate similar alkaline conditions and deep, well-drained <br />soils across all types, this office urges you to consider proposing a single seed mix that is a combination of the various <br />recommended seed mixes, or simply choosing one of the seed mixes, to be used throughout the permitted area. Please <br />provide a revised seed mix for the reclamation plan. <br />Please ensure that the seed application rates are expressed in terms of pounds of pure live seed per acre, or "lbs <br />PLS/AC." The method of seed application should also be specified. <br />Please make note of the addition of the noxious weed control plan added to this exhibit (as discussed in Exhibit D, <br />above). <br />Exhibit F - Reclamation Map (Rule 6.4.6) <br />The group of maps showing the sequence of reclamation in the phases is a good idea. The pit topography appears to <br />be conceptual, however, since the contour lines are not spaced correctly for a 4:1 slope nor labeled with elevations. <br />Please provide revised reclamation maps with a notation that slopes are 4:1, and label each contour line with its proper <br />elevation. (Note: Attention should also be paid to correcting the base map elevations that appear to terminate at the <br />edges of the mined phases.) <br />Besides the pits resulting from excavation of materials, the maps should show all other features to remain after <br />reclamation is complete, such as onsite roads. <br />Please ensure that all revised maps are signed and dated. <br />Exhibit G - Water Information (Rule 6.4.7) <br />Brief information should be provided as to the flowing well and the pond area that exist near the permitted area, such <br />as the depth to aquifer, flow rate, distance from affected area boundary, etc. <br />Exhibit L - Reclamation Costs (Rule 6.4.12) <br />This is not an item that needs to be revised, but we call your attention to the costs shown for all three phases, which <br />appear to subtract the amounts for profit and overhead rather than add them.