2011-06-27_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - P2011012

• Permit No: P2011012
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Date: 6/27/2011
• Doc Name: Notice of public scoping
• From: USDA
• To: Public Land User
• Email Name: RCO
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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Dolores Public Lands Office
USDA Forest Service Division of Reclamation 29211 Highway 184
San Juan National Forest Mining a safety Dolores, CO 81323
Ph [phone] Fax [phone]
Dolores Ranger District
htt s : / /www.fs.fed.uslr2 /san'uan
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USDA JUN `� 9 L011
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Notice of Public Scoping for Potassium Prospecting and Explor
Dear Interested Public Land User,
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Dolores Public Lands Office (DPLO) is preparing an
Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate Potassium (potash) Prospecting Permit Applications and an
associated exploration plan submitted by RM Potash. We are sending you this letter to better inform you
about this proposal and to solicit any comments you might have. In accordance with BLM regulations at
43 CFR 3505, RM Potash Inc. has submitted Prospecting Permit Applications to the BLM to conduct
exploration operations for potash about 15 miles north of Dove Creek and US Highway 491 (aka US 666)
in the vicinity of Egnar, within San Miguel and Dolores Counties, Colorado. The BLM will work closely
with the Colorado Department of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety, which has jurisdiction over mineral
exploration and mining in Colorado.
Background
Potash is the common name for a group of naturally occurring minerals containing the element potassium
(K). The most common of these potassium minerals is sylvite (KC1), which commonly occurs with
deposits of Halite (NaCl) salt. Beds of rock salt containing layers of potash minerals were deposited in
SE Utah and SW Colorado during the evaporation of an ancient marine sea.
Potassium is primarily used to make fertilizer and is one of the three main ingredients in most fertilizer
mixtures. The United States imports over 90% of its potassium fertilizer. Potassium also has a wide
variety of additional uses in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Potash is a leasable mineral under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920. This means that, unlike locatable
"mining claim" minerals, such as gold and silver, a royalty is paid to the federal government when potash
is mined. Regulations governing the leasing, exploration, and mining of potash are governed under 43
CFR 3500 regulations. The lands proposed for exploration of potash are open for all mineral
development in the current BLM Resource Management Plan.
The DPLO has received 21 potassium (potash) Prospecting Permit Applications (C0073563 -
COC73579, COC74369, COC74370, COC74401, and COC 73592) on approximately 40,000 acres of
land in Dolores and San Miguel counties. A prospecting permit grants exclusive rights to the permittee
to explore for potash on the lands under permit, subject to NEPA review of their exploration plan(s). A
mineral report prepared by BLM found that the applicant is eligible to receive prospecting permits under
the 43 CFR 3500 regulations, subject to NEPA review. If the permittee can prove that they have
discovered a "valuable deposit" of potash as a result of the data collected as part of prospecting, they may
be eligible to receive non - competitive preference right leases (again subject to NEPA review). Presently,
the DPLO is only evaluating the issuance of prospecting permits and approval of exploration plans.
Leasing and development (mining) are distinct from exploration and prospecting, since development may
June 27
-/
USDI Bureau of Land Management
San Juan Center
Dolores Field Office
htt . ://www.co.blm. • ov
FS- 6200 -12a