2011-10-11_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M1977215

• Permit No: M1977215
• IBM Index Class Name: GENERAL DOCUMENTS
• Doc Date: 10/11/2011
• Doc Name: Operator's response to Forest Service
• From: Rio Grande Silver, Inc.
• To: USDA Forest Service
• Email Name: RCO
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

SURFACE
FACILITY
FOREST SERVICE LANDS
PRIVATE SURFACE
TOTAL
(acres)
Previously-
Disturbed
Area (acres)
New
Disturbance
(acres)
Previously-
Disturbed
Area (acres)
New
Disturbance
(acres)
Portal Bench
(9400 Level)
1.1
0.3
-
-
1.4
Portal Bench
Access Road
0.8
-
-
-
0.8
EscapeNentilation
Raise
0.1
-
-
-
0.1
Surface Admin
Support Facilities
-
-
2.3
-
2.3
Development
(Waste) Rock
Stockpile
-
-
1.7
-
1.7
Buried Utility Lines
(Water /Sewer)
0.1
-
0.1
-
0.2
Water Holding
Ponds
-
-
8.5
-
8.5
TOTAL
2.1
0.3
12.6
-
15.0
other facilities are planned during the exploration program, although, based on water inflows into
the decline, the evaporation pond may be expanded. No mining will be conducted and no bulk
samples will be taken. The cores from the exploration drilling will be analyzed as is the case for
the current surface exploration drilling program. To the extent possible, RGS will use existing
roads in the area.
Estimates of the total area of the site, and the area and location expected to be disturbed by clearing,
excavation, grading, or other construction activities.
RESPONSE: RGS controls an area of approximately 4.1 acres at the historic Homestake
"Bulldog" Mine site and about 14 acres at the historic Homestake tailings #2 site. RGS plans to
use the mine site area for the Bulldog facilities and the tailings area for evaporation /holding ponds
(used to contain underground inflows encountered during decline development).
About 2.4 acres of USFS land will be required for the portal bench and portal bench access road.
These two facilities will cause 0.3 acres of new disturbance and about 2.1 acres of re- disturbance
of reclaimed land.
Table 1, Estimated Project Disturbance, taken from the Plan of Operations Amendment (2011)
shows all areas of planned disturbance including the cut and fill areas caused by the portal bench
and access road construction.
Table 1, Estimated Project Disturbance
c) A summary of any existing data used in the development of the site construction plans or
SWMP that describe the soil or existing potential for soil erosion.
RESPONSE: A summary of the "potential erosion hazards" for the soils at the project site are set
forth in the Forest Service 2010 Environmental Assessment (EA) for the San Juan Silver
Exploration Project. The potential erosion hazards are moderate to high. See Table 18, Soil
Characteristics and Revegetation Potential, in the 2010 EA.
112 East 12 Street P.O. Box 610 Creede, CO 81130
719 - 658 -1080 Fax 719 - 658 -1082