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PHASE <br />TIME <br />Surface Plant Construction <br />Complete <br />Reopening Portal /Shaft Rehabilitation <br />Drift Development <br />Concurrent with Mining <br />* Mining <br />6+ years <br />Below is a table of estimated times needed for each phase of mining. Both stoping and <br />further development will be conducted simultaneously. <br />* Due to the erratic nature of the Uravan Mineral Belt's ore deposits and past mining <br />experience in this area, the life of this mine may be extended. This extension will be <br />based, in part, on further delineation of ore horizons by surface drilling and by <br />underground longhole drilling from development headings. <br />Boundary Changes <br />The current permitted area includes 11.1 acres. The acreage in the upper mining area is <br />being increased from 3.99 acres to 10.27 acres, and the acreage in the lower mining area <br />is being increased from 7.11 acres to 16.5 acres. Cotter is requesting the release of 1.69 <br />undisturbed acres on the western side of the original permit boundary in the lower mining <br />area (see Exhibit C, Figure C2). The total permitted area will be 26.77 acres. <br />Mine Access <br />All mining will take place via the existing portal. Currently, it is covered with a steel <br />gate. <br />Underground Operations <br />A large rock fall occurred in the primary drift of the JD -9 Mine in 2007, approximately <br />200 feet from the mine portal. In addition to repairing this rock fall, Cotter will <br />rehabilitate other areas of the mine prior to further mining. Pumping will also be needed <br />to dewater a portion of the workings. Once the mine meets Mine Safety and Health <br />Administration (MSHA) safety requirements, the existing drifts will be extended into <br />known ore zones. <br />Based on existing exploration data, the mine will be initially expanded to the east. The <br />thin and irregular nature of the ore body makes it difficult to define the exact location and <br />extent of future mining. Mining is not expected to proceed to the north due to a lack of <br />reserves determined from exploration drilling north of the current workings. Exploration <br />drilling from the surface and long -hole drilling from existing underground workings will <br />ultimately determine the optimum location of future drifts and production stopes. Mining <br />will take place within the existing mining area before continuing on to potential reserves <br />to the east and/or to the west. Connection with existing mines is not anticipated over the <br />course of the operation. <br />D -2 <br />