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claim groups, (each bounded by a project boundary) and the access roads leading to these claim
groups. The project boundaries surrounding the three claim groups and the access roads encompass

810 acres. Planned activities consist of (I) road building; (2) open-pit mining. stockpiling, and waste
disposal; and (3) reclamation. The activity areas in total occupy less than 300 acres of forest
environment.

Major activities to be performed under the proposed action include the following:

• Widening 8.1 miles of existing primary roads and building 2.8 miles of new primary
roads to 48-foot double-lane haul roads.
• Locating and building l .S miles of 48-foot double-lane secondary roads that connect

the primary roads to the mining sites.
• Clearing the chaparral brush from the mining sites and disposing of the slash.
• Removing the topsoil, low-grade ore, and non-mineralized overburden and
transporting it to stockpile and spoil disposal areas.

• Mining the titanium ore deposits during the daylight hours.
• Hauling the crude ore to the Soledad Canyon plant and maintaining the road system.
• Reclaiming the mining sites. stockpiles. spoil disposal, waste areas, and secondary
connector roads.

Three project alternatives, including the no action alternative, are also discussed in this document in
order to evaluate all reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.

Alternative l - Conveyor Transport - Claim Group II to Plant Location

Alternative 2 requires the construction of a conveyor belt system to transport ore from Claim Group
II to the plant site. Substitution of a conveyor system would eliminate construction of 2.8 miles of

48-foot-wide haul road. However, a two-mile construction and maintenance road along the conveyor
system will be built. The total land disturbance from the conveyer and road rights-of-way would be
approximately half the disturbed area attributed to Road Section B.

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