2013-03-18_REVISION - C1996083 - Laserfiche WebLink

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J. E. STOVER & ASSOCIATES, INC. 2352 NORTH 7 STREEET, UNIT B GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO 81501 PHONE: (970) 245 -4101, FAX 242 -7908 MINE ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING MINE RECLAMATION CONST. MANAGEMENT March 13, 2013 Susan Burgmaier Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Re: Bowie Resources, LLC, Bowie No. 2 Mine Technical Revision Application No.77, Use of select overburden material as a substitute to topsoil Permit C- 1996 -083 Dear Ms. Burgmaier: RECEIVED MAP, i 0 2013 Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety In accordance with Rule 4.06.2(4) selected overburden materials may be substituted for or used as a supplement to topsoil if the Division determines the resulting soil is equal to or more sustainable for sustaining the vegetation than is the available topsoil. On behalf of Bowie Resources, LLC, (BRL), enclosed is an application for a technical revision to allow for use of select overburden material as a substitute and or supplement to topsoil. A topsoil salvage variance was approved as part of TR -76. With documentation, the variance permits BRL to not salvage topsoil in areas that are to rocky, to steep, or to thin to salvage in the gob pile #2 expansion area. However, the material balance includes an estimate for topsoil in the expansion area which may not be salvaged, thus decreasing the amount of topsoil available for reclamation. BRL has an excess of good quality coverfill material and would like to take advantage of the material so there is flexibility in usage of scarce topsoil resources. BRL took six random soil samples of the coverfill material that has been placed on the first bench of gob pile #2. The soil was tested for pH, alkalinity, phosphorus, potassium, texture, electrical conductivity, coarse fragments and sodium absorption ratio (SAR). Generally, the soils have low salt content and low SAR values. PH values range between 8.2 and 8.4. Electrical conductivity values range between 1.6 and 2.8, and the SAR is between 2.0 and 2.6. To evaluate quality of the coverfill soil, Tables 1, 2 and 3 in the 2003 soils report were consulted. Tables 1 -3 list results of testing the A -B horizons at different sample locations. Comparing the Tables to the results from the six soil samples demonstrates that the coverfill is comparable to the topsoil. Therefore, the coverfill is suitable for substitute topsoil material and suitable for plant growth media.