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Background <br />Exhibit D <br />Mining Plan <br />SM -18 Mine Permit Amendment <br />M- 1978 -116 <br />The SM -18 Mine was originally permitted on May 24, 1978 and has been mined <br />intermittently since then. <br />The uranium - vanadium deposits at SM -18 are typical of the Colorado Plateau <br />"sandstone" type deposits of the Uravan Mineral Belt. Ores are located in the uppermost <br />of the three sandstone beds that dip to the Northeast located in the Salt Wash Member of <br />the Morrison Formation. Drilling on top of the Spring Creek Mesa has delineated several <br />widely scattered ore horizons that due to varying topography are located at varying <br />depths ranging from 160 feet to 550 feet. The Top Rim sandstone layer ranges in <br />thickness from 60 to 100 feet with most of the ore occurring in the lower one -third to one <br />half of the way up as measured from the base. <br />Overlying the Salt Wash Top Rim sandstone is the Brushy Basin member of the Morrison <br />Formation. It is predominately variegated, bentonitic shales interbedded with lesser <br />amounts of sandstone and thin conglomerate lenses. Immediately below the mined <br />horizon is the basal part of the Top Rim sandstone, which is fine- grained, quartz -rich, <br />with minor feldspar content, and is carbonate cemented. Mudstones occur as thin, <br />discrete lenses within the Top Rim sandstone and are generally located below the ore <br />zone. (For a full description of the area geology, see Exhibit U - EPP.) <br />The uranium and vanadium bearing mined ore material will be sent to a mill to be <br />separated into concentrates of U and V <br />Timeline <br />The area to be worked at any one time will not appreciably increase after the initial <br />disturbance around the portal area. Small amounts of additional acreage may be involved <br />as the waste dump grows or additional roads for ventholes and development drilling are <br />needed. This land has been accounted for in the affected acreage. <br />Areas involved that may be classified as major disturbances include the waste dump and <br />soil stockpile. Moderate disturbances include the area required for stabilization of the <br />waste dump and grading of the areas used for parking, structures, and storage equipment <br />and other materials. <br />