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~oi~lrh e-1^~.S .~ ~(' United States Department of USA Agriculture ti_ Forest Pike and San Isabel Service National Forests Cimarron and Comanche I National Grasslands c>N~ ~ Salida Ranger District 325 W. Rainbow Blvd. Salida, CO 81201 ('719) 539-3591 Fax (719) 539-3593 File Code: 2800/2810 Date: November 28, 2006 State of Colorado Department of Natural Resources Division of Minerals and Geology ATTN: Erica Crosby, Environmental Protection Specialist 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Dear Mrs. Crosby, Dlvlalan ~.~ ,.~-'-.R,,,.on, Nimr„y o„c ~alety Recently, a member of the primary minerals staff in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Comanche and Cimarron National Grasslands (PSICC) Supervisor's Office met with Ken Klco, Geological Consultant, and Bob Holloway, President of Monarch Mo tain Marble, concerning the "Lilly Mine" operations located north of the townsite of Garfield, CO uermit No. M-1987-028). It is my understanding that the meeting was a productive one, and focused primarily on the following issues related to the Colorado Marble, Inc. mining operations on Taylor Mountain, Chaffee County, Colorado; The Forest Service issue dealing with the need to complete the Minerals Classification Report to determine if the calcium carbonate deposit in question will be processed as a mineral material or as a locatable mineral case. 2. The Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) issue dealing with legal right of entry over those "mineral fractions" under jurisdiction of the Forest Service that Colorado Marble has identified/included within its 112 Reclamation Permit Conversion Application to the DMG. To begin with, I would like to recap on the comment letter sent from this office to the DMG dated Febmary 3, 2006. In that letter, this office asked the DMG to "not allow Colorado Marble, Inc. to commence with the exploration and production ofthe mineral materials located on National Forest System (NFS) lands (identified within the Reclamation Permit Conversion Application) until adequate environmental analysis is completed, and the POO is approved'. Since that time, this office has had the opportunity to send Botanical specialists to the NFS "fractions" identified in Colorado Marble's application, and found no botanical extraordinary circumstances that would prevent mining activities from occurring in the area. Wildlife and Cultural/IIistorical Resource Specialists will still need to visit the area and conduct surveys for potential effects to those resources. Once the complete BiologicaUCultural Evaluation for the proposed "Lilly Mine" operations is completed, the Salida Ranger District will provide the DMG with a copy. In regards to the first topic above, that dealing with the Minerals Classification Report, the PSICC has not had the opportunity to complete the report due to other priorities that the Forest had committed to prior to learning of the need to complete the Classification Report for this case. Furthermore, the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region (R2) possesses only two trained certified Minerals Examiners, both of which who's services are in high demand. The Minerals Classification Report must be completed by trained/certified member of the agency, and the completion of the report is highly reliant on the availability of a certified Mineral Examiner. A copy of the Classification report will also be provided to the DMG upon its completion. :~ ~_- ~r_ ?~ yr°°~ /~=(; r i 20Go Caring for the Land and Serving People Footed on Recycled Paper ~~