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March 29, 2011 C-1981-008/New Horizon Mine MLT <br />RECLAMATION SUCCESS - Rule 4.15, Rule 3: <br />• We traversed the alignment of the former BB Detour Road, which was reclaimed in late <br />2009. The surface appears to be stable with respect to erosion, due to the establishment of <br />annual weeds and some grasses. The area was reseeded in 2010 due to poor success with the <br />original seeding. <br />REVEGETATION - Rule 4.15 Vegetative Cover; Timing: <br />• Mr. Gubka informed us that all reclaimed areas to the east of 2700 Road had been fertilized <br />during the preceding week, with the exception of those areas under consideration for Phase <br />III bond release with SL-12. <br />• Four-wing saltbush and forage kochia had been recently seeded (aerially) on the Benson- <br />West and Lloyd dryland pasture areas. <br />• A few tamarisk shoots were growing near the outlet structure for Pond 011; continued <br />management of this weed will be necessary. <br />• We traversed on foot the IP Reference Area located immediately outside the southeast end of <br />the permit area (Permit Map 2.05.4(2)(e)-2). The majority of this plot is irrigated using a <br />system of pipe, gated pipe, and furrows. Irrigation water accesses the site at its northeastern <br />corner via a pipe. There was no gated pipe in place on the ground; it was neatly stacked at <br />the southeastern corner of the field. This may have been done to protect it from being <br />damaged by grazing livestock during the non-irrigation season. <br />• Irrigation water from the CCC Ditch "pond run" began to flow from the pipe (see preceding <br />paragraph) at a relatively low rate during the inspection (Photo 11). <br />• At the southern end of the IP Reference Area, we observed what appeared to be a small patch <br />of Quackgrass. In 2010, the operator treated a larger stand of Quackgrass in the northwestern <br />corner of the reference area. <br />• The SW corner of this field (-1 acre) is excluded from the reference area due to overgrazing <br />by horses. On the ground, this area is bare, with no furrows and near zero establishment of <br />vegetation (Photo 12). <br />SIGNS AND MARKERS - Rule 4.02: <br />• The operator has installed a series of signs delineating the various topsoil replacement zones <br />approved with PR-06 for permit areas west of 2700 Road. These signs will be of use to mine <br />personnel and agency representatives as an "on-the-ground" representation of the approved <br />reclamation plan. <br />• While we were looking at the Zone 3 / Zone 4 sign posted on the southern permit boundary <br />(Photo 13), JoEllen Turner drove by, and shortly thereafter Mike Morgan walked up to the <br />fence where we were standing. He expressed his concern that the Zones 3/4 boundary was at <br />a different location (tens of feet to the west) than the line that marked the limits of topsoil <br />disturbance back in 2008. I explained that the former line is not "gone" (it still exists on <br />maps), but that the new sign serves to delineate the reclamation zones approved with PR-06. <br />Mr. Morgan was also concerned that Lift A topsoil would not be redistributed as far eastward <br />as was originally planned [with TR-57], and that topsoil salvage projections for the western <br />portion of the Morgan property were too small. I explained that WFC would continue to <br />salvage all Lift A and Lift B, but that for the projections, a conservative estimate based on <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 6 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 Page 5 of 16