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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 Mining <br />Permit No. M- 1978 -116, originally approved by the Mined Land Reclamation Board on May 24, <br />1978. Cotter is also the lessee of Mining Lease No. AT(05- 1)-ML- 60.8- C -SM -18 issued by the <br />U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on March 20, 1996. This lease covers some 916 acres and <br />gives Cotter the right to explore, develop, mine and remove ore deposits of uranium, vanadium <br />and associated minerals. <br />Cotter previously mined a portion of known reserves in Section 27, T48N, R17W, NMPM, <br />underlying the western point of Spring Creek Mesa. Access to the ore body was originally by a <br />decline from the permitted mine site in Section 22, T48N, R17W, located on the bench on the <br />north side of Spring Creek Mesa. The portal area, mine waste storage area and venthole <br />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 sandstone <br />bench on the south or southwest side of Spring Creek Mesa. Cotter owns 14 patented mining <br />claims and following the approval of a mine permit amendment on November 17, 2004, Cotter <br />commenced mining using the Wright Mine workings in SW 1/4 , SW 1/4 Section 27 to access the <br />ore body in NW 1/4, SW '/4 Section 27. Mining is not currently ongoing, but is expected to <br />resume in accordance with the Mine Plan, attached as Exhibit D to this Application. <br />Cotter is amending the original permit in order to comply with the Division of Reclamation, <br />Mining and Safety's request. Under the new rule and regulations for Hard -rock Mining, all <br />uranium mines are classified as Designated Mining Operations (DMOs) and require <br />Environmental Protection Plans. Cotter is also amending the permit acreage. In addition to <br />adding acreage for a future venthole site, acreage has been increased for the existing venthole <br />sites, as well as the southern mining area. Cotter is also increasing the acreage to 21.19 acres. <br />Cotter submits the attached exhibits and maps to provide clarifying information for this request. <br />