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t <br />exploration activities; or <br />(b) Any single activity that results in the disturbance of a single block of land totaling <br />one thousand six hundred square feet or less of the land's surface, not to exceed two such <br />disturbances per acre; except that the cumulative total of such disturbances may not exceed <br />five acres statewide in any exploration operation extending over twenty-four consecutive <br />months. <br />(10) "Financial warranty" means a warranty of the type described in section <br />34-32.5-117 (3). <br />(11) "Life of the mine" means, with respect to a permit granted pursuant to section <br />34-32.5-110, 34-32.5-111, or 34-32.5-112, a period lasting as long as: <br />(a) An operator continues to engage in the extraction of construction materials and <br />complies with this article. The life of the mine includes that period of time after the cessation <br />of production that is necessary to complete the reclamation of disturbed lands as required by <br />the board and this article and continues until the board releases the operator, in writing, from <br />further reclamation obligations regarding the affected land, declares the operation terminated, <br />and releases all applicable performance and financial warranties. <br />(b) Construction material reserves are shown by the operator to remain in the <br />operation and the operator plans to, or does, temporarily cease production for one hundred <br />eighty days or more if such operator files a notice with the board stating the reasons for <br />nonproduction, a plan for the resumption of production, and the measures taken to comply <br />with reclamation and other necessary activities as established by the -board to maintain the <br />operation in a nonproducing state. The requirement of a notice of temporary cessation shall <br />not apply to operators who resume operating within one year and have included in their <br />permit applications a statement that the affected lands are to be used for less than one <br />hundred eighty days per year. <br />(c) Production is resumed within five years after the date production ended, or the <br />operator files a report with the board requesting an extension of the period of temporary <br />cessation of production stating the reasons for the continuation of nonproduction and those <br />factors necessary to, and the plans for, resumption of production. In no case shall a <br />temporary cessation of production be continued for more than ten years without terminating <br />the operation and fully complying with the reclamation requirements of this article. <br />(d) The board does not take action to declare termination of the life of the mine, <br />which action shall require a sixty-day notice to the operator alleging a violation of paragraph <br />(a), (b), or (c) of this subsection (11), or that inadequate reasons are provided in an operator's <br />report under such paragraphs. In such cases, the board shall provide a reasonable opportunity <br />for the operator to meet with the board to present his or her full case and shall provide <br />reasonable time for such operator to comply with this article. <br />(e) The operator complies with section 34-32.5-109 (2). <br />(12) "Mining" means the extraction of construction materials. <br />(13) "Mining operation" means the development or extraction of a construction <br />material from its natural occurrences on affected land. The term includes, but is not limited <br />to, open mining and surface operation. The term also includes transportation and processing