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Introduction <br />SM -18 Mine <br />Permit No. M -1978 -116 <br />Request for Application Amendment <br />The SM -18 Mine is located east of the abandoned town of Uravan in Montrose County, <br />Colorado. It is owned and operated by Cotter Corporation as a 112 Hardrock/Metal <br />Mining Permit No. M- 1978 -116, originally approved by the Mined Land Reclamation <br />Board on May 24, 1978. Cotter is also the lessee of Mining Lease No. AT(05- 1) -ML- <br />60.8-C-SM-18 issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on March 20, 1996. This <br />lease covers some 916 acres and gives Cotter the right to explore, develop, mine and <br />remove ore deposits of uranium, vanadium and associated minerals. <br />Cotter previously mined a portion of known reserves in Section 27, T48N, R17W, <br />NMPM, underlying the western point of Spring Creek Mesa. Access to the ore body was <br />originally by a decline from the permitted mine site in Section 22, T48N, R17W, located <br />on the bench on the north side of Spring Creek Mesa. The portal area, mine waste <br />storage area and venthole associated with this mining effort have been reclaimed. <br />Known reserves farther south in Section 27 are accessed by a mine portal in the upper <br />sandstone bench on the south or southwest side of Spring Creek Mesa. Cotter owns 14 <br />patented mining claims and following the approval of a mine permit amendment on <br />November 17, 2004, Cotter commenced mining using the Wright Mine workings in SW <br />1/4 , SW 1 /4 Section 27 to access the ore body in NW 1 /4, SW 1/4 Section 27. Mining is not <br />currently ongoing, but is expected to resume in accordance with the Mine Plan, attached <br />as Exhibit D to this Application. <br />Cotter is amending the original permit in order to comply with the Division of <br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety's request. Under the new rule and regulations for Hard - <br />rock Mining, all uranium mines are classified as Designated Mining Operations (DMOs) <br />and require Environmental Protection Plans. Cotter is also amending the permit acreage. <br />In addition to adding acreage for a future venthole site, acreage has been increased for the <br />existing venthole sites, as well as the southern mining area. Cotter is also requesting that <br />7.79 acres be released from the northern mining area. <br />Cotter submits the attached exhibits and maps to provide clarifying information for this <br />request. <br />