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Prince Albert Mine 110(d) Permit Application Exhibit B <br />EXHIBIT B SITE DESCRIPTION <br />B (a.1) Vegetation <br />Vegetation on Club Mesa and in the affected area of the Prince Albert Mine site consists of two major <br />community types: pinion juniper woodlands and sagebrush - grass. The pinion juniper community occurs <br />on canyon slopes and mesa tops throughout the Club Mesa area and is predominant in the proposed mine <br />permit area. The major canopy species in the pinion juniper woodland are pinion pine (Pinus edulis), and <br />two species of juniper (Juniperus scopolorum and Juniperus osteosperma). Juniper comprises 60 percent <br />or more of the canopy with both pinion and juniper tree density dependant upon the degree of slope and <br />soil depth. Steep slopes and shallow soils yield 10 to 30 trees per acre, while shallow slopes with deeper <br />soils yield 140 to 190 trees per acre. Shrub species associated with the pinion juniper woodland include <br />serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis), four -wing saltbrush (Atriplex canescens), snowberry <br />(Symphoricarpos oreophilus), mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus spp.), cliffrose (Cowania Mexicana), <br />and Mormon tea (Ephedra viridis). The sagebrush -grass community is mostly found in canyon bottoms, <br />on mesa tops, and on the shallow slopes of ridges, often occurring as open parks within pinion juniper <br />vegetation where the two community types intergrade. In the Prince Albert permit area this community <br />occurrence is typical and is found in the flat, open area located in the southeast portion of the mine site. <br />Sagebrush forms approximately 10 — 20 percent of the plant cover with perennial grasses and forbs <br />comprising about 50 percent and 5 percent, respectively, of the cover. Big sagebrush (Artemisia <br />tridantata), fringed sagebrush ( Artemisia frigida), and winterfat (Ceratoides lanata) are the major shrub <br />types. The understory for the pinion juniper community can include needle and thread grass, Sandberg <br />bluegrass, sand dropseed, Indian ricegrass, and western wheatgrass. The sagebrush understory includes <br />the above mentioned species as well as scarlet globemallow, arrowleaf, balsamroot and junegrass. The <br />USBLM Uncompahgre Field Office (UFO) has conducted a Threatened and Endangered Species Survey <br />at the proposed Prince Albert Mine site and vicinity as part of the review process for Prospect NOI P- <br />2005-21 and no items of concern were found at that time (Charles Sharp, 2010). <br />B (a.2) Soil Characteristics <br />A detailed discussion on soils can be found in Section U (11) "Plant Growth Medium and Soil <br />Characteristics" and a National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Web Soil Survey Report for the <br />area is attached as Appendix B to Exhibit U "Environmental Protection Plan." <br />B (b) Permanent Man -made Structures <br />There are no permanent man -made structures within 200 feet of the affected area. <br />B (c.1) Surface Water <br />Surface water is discussed in the Exhibit U "Environmental Protection Plan" Section U (8). <br />B (c.2) Ground Water <br />Ground water is discussed in the Exhibit U "Environmental Protection Plan" Section U (7). <br />Rimrock Exploration & Development Page 2 of 39 <br />