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Section 2.04.9 <br />Soils Resource Information <br />1. Introduction <br />This report presents information about the soil resources on the New Horizon Mine study area in <br />Montrose County, Colorado. Soil maps and data contained in this report have been prepared to <br />assist WFC and the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (CDRMS) in examining <br />the soil resources of the area with respect to their potential use in mined land reclamation efforts. <br />Detailed soil surveys of the study area were conducted in 1988, 1996 and 1998. These Order 1 <br />soil surveys, with sampling, were conducted by ERT /Peabody Coal (1988), and Intermountain <br />Resource Inventories Inc. (IRI Inc.)(1996 and 1998) on approximately 575, 80, and 430 acres, <br />respectively. Surveys conducted in 1996 and 1998 included re- surveying portions of the 1988 <br />survey in addition to additional areas. The final survey is a composite of these three surveys and <br />is represented in Map 2.04.9 -1. Map 2.04.9 -1 also shows the boundaries of the original surveys. <br />Soil in map units of the 1998 survey differ from those in the 1988 and 1996 survey as a result of <br />recent changes in soil taxonomy (USDA - NRCS, 1999). These changes resulted in soils being <br />classified differently than in the 1998 and 1996 survey. Based on these detailed soil surveys, <br />recommended topsoil salvage depths were determined for each soil mapping unit. <br />2. Objectives <br />The basic objectives of this study are to characterize the physical and chemical properties of site <br />soils and depths to which they may be salvaged as a source of topsoil for reclamation purposes. <br />Thus, the site - specific characteristics of the soil that may influence soil salvage, stockpiling, and <br />redistribution were inventoried. This inventory entailed the following. <br />• Determination and delineation of soil mapping units. <br />• Description and sampling of representative horizons of each soil series and higher <br />taxonomic units for chemical and physical characteristics. <br />(Revised October 09) 2.04.9 -6 <br />