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Mineral Joe Mine Environmental Protection Plan 6 <br />5.3.1 Ore <br />5.3.1.1 Source <br />The ore is derived primarily from the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation, which consists of <br />interbedded fine- grained sandstone and mudstone. The uranium and vanadium mineralization occurs in <br />Third Rim Sandstone of the Salt Wash Member, with an average ore thickness of two to five feet at the <br />Mineral Joe underground mine. <br />The mineralization at Mineral Joe Mine is similar to the rest of the Uravan Mineral District. Uranium <br />occurs primarily in the form of uraninite (pitchblende variety UO2) with traces of coffinite (USiO<OH) <br />filling in the pore space between individual sand grains (Peters, 2011). The uraninite (pitchblende) occurs <br />as a more massive, darker colored mineral (Nininger, 1954). When oxidized, these minerals may become <br />much brighter in color and reveal secondary minerals such as corvusite, dravite, and pascoite (Peters, <br />2011). These oxidation minerals are often seen in conjunction with uraninite within the Uravan Mineral <br />District. <br />The primary vanadium mineral is montroseite (VOOH) in conjunction with vanadium clays and hydromica. <br />Carnotite and tyuyamunite are also commonly seen vanadium minerals after oxidation of the ore occurs. It <br />is possible that other oxidized vanadium minerals occur on the Mineral Joe mine site. The presence of <br />other cations, increased moisture levels, and differing pH levels may enable other vanadium oxides to form <br />over time (Peters, 2011). <br />5.3.1.2 Quantity <br />When the Mineral Joe Mine is operating, ore will be temporarily stockpiled on the ore pad before being <br />transferred offsite for processing. Currently, no ore mine is stockpiled at the surface on site. <br />The ore transfer pad will be clay - lined, 60 ft by 60 ft, and located on the lower bench of the Mineral Joe <br />Mine facilities area, approximately 145 feet from the Duggan Adit portal (Map 1). The amount of ore <br />stored on the ore transfer pad at any given time will not exceed 4,000 tons. <br />5.3.2 Waste Rock <br />5.3.2.1 Source <br />Waste rock derived from the Mineral Joe Mine consists of the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison <br />Formation, which consists mostly of mudstone and shale with interbedded sandstone. <br />5.3.2.2 Quantity <br />The external waste rock pile at the Mineral Joe Mine has been fully constructed and occupies <br />approximately 2.74 acres. Future waste rock generated by underground mining at the Mineral Joe Mine <br />will be gobbed underground in dry areas of the mine, and will not be placed at the surface. The volume of <br />waste rock gobbed underground will be dependent on the available void space and the extent of new <br />development underground. <br />5.3.3 Geochemical Characterization of Waste Rock and Ore <br />Samples of waste rock were collected from the Mineral Joe Mine waste rock pile in February, 2012. Since <br />no ore pile was available for testing at the Mineral Joe Mine, the results of geochemical testing at the <br />nearby JD -8 Mine are used as a surrogate to represent the probably geochemistry of ore derived from the <br />Mineral Joe underground mine. The JD -8 Mine is located approximately 1.5 miles from the Mineral Joe <br />Mine, and the ore is derived from the same stratigraphic unit (Salt Wash Member of the Morrison <br />Formation). Samples of the JD -8 Mine ore pile were collected in December 2010 and are considered a <br />representative surrogate for the chemistry of ore from the Mineral Joe Mine. <br />4148B.120927 Whetstone Associates • <br />