2012-10-01_REVISION - M1977310 (10)

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JD -6 Mine Environmental Protection Plan 1 1. INTRODUCTION The C -JD -6 Mine is an open pit and underground uranium and vanadium mine located in western Montrose County, Colorado. The JD -6 mine is owned /leased by Cotter Corporation (N.S.L.) ( "Cotter ") and was permitted for mining in the late 1970s under Colorado mining permit numbers M- 1977 -310. 1.1 Environmental Protection Plan Requirements and Organization The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety ( "DRMS ") determined that the JD -6 Mine is a 112d -1 Designated Mining Operation ( "DMO ") based on the passage of House Bill 1161 which changed the statutory definition of DMO to include all uranium mines. As a DMO, the JD -6 Mine is required to submit an Environmental Protection Plan ( "EPP" or "Plan ") in accordance with the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Act (C.R.S. 34 -32 -101 to -127, the "Act ") and the Hard Rock/Metal Mining Rules and Regulations (the "Rules "). Due to the small size of the affected area (less than 5 acres), the JD -6 Mine is considered a 110d Limited Impact Operation and the EPP is required as Exhibit T to the 110d Mine Reclamation Plan. This EPP describes how the Operator will assure compliance with the provisions of the Act and Rules to protect all areas that have the potential to be affected by designated chemicals or potentially toxic or acid forming materials. The specific facilities required for consideration under the Rules include the following: • leach facilities, or heap leach pad (not applicable at the JD -6 Mine); • tailings storage or disposal areas (not applicable at the JD -6 Mine); • impoundments; • waste rock piles; • stock piles, temporary or permanent; and • land application sites (not applicable at the JD -6 Mine). The facilities of interest for the EPP at the JD -6 Mine include the waste rock piles, stormwater diversion ditches, a storm water retention pond, and underground workings. The purpose of this EPP is to provide for protection of human health, property and the environment related to these features. Stormwater management, hygiene, and minimizing water -rock interaction are the particular focus of environmental protection measures for the JD -6 Mine. 1.2 Site Location and Ownership The JD -6 Mine is located in Montrose County, Colorado, near the northern end of Monogram Mesa in the southwest portion of Paradox Valley (approximately nine miles west of Naturita and ten miles southeast of Bedrock). Access to the site is provided by Montrose County Road EE19, 1 mile from State Highway 90 (Figure 1). The permitted mine area lies within Sections 21 and 22, T46N, R17W, NMPM, within the Department of Energy (DOE) lease tract C -JD -6 (530 acres) as shown in Map 1. The adjacent Mineral Joe lease tract (144 acres) is owned by Cotter and is permitted under a separate mining permit (M- 1977 -284). Due to its close proximity to the JD -6 Mine, some of the stormwater management performed at the Mineral Joe Mine site is beneficial to both properties. However, the two sites operate under separate mine reclamation permits and stormwater management plans. 4148A.1 20927 Whetstone Associates