Problems Encountered

Again unanticipated problems were encountered during the year, mainly the need for the cultural resources studies. Our Special Use Permit (SUP) first brought this requirement to our attention. It states that we must complete a cultural resources study of any areas older than 50 years prior to any ground disturbing activity. The R&PP application, the road right-of-way, and the power line right-of-way will also require cultural resources studies. Keeping with the purpose of the Laboratory, training UNR students, we are attempting to perform the cultural resources studies with mainly UNR expertise and student work. Dr. Don Hardesty of the Anthropology Department is directing the work with students in the Anthropology and Mining Engineering Departments participating in the field work. The mining engineering students have the responsibility of producing the 1" = 100' topographic base maps for the anthropologists to work on. With most of the mining students working as well as carrying full loads, the progress has been slow. We hope to at least have the base maps completed before the end of 1997.

Another problem was solved with the help of a local company. While doing work cleaning our roads with the 911B LHD the students got the equipment off the road on a steep hillside. We could not safely get it back up and had to request help from Granite Construction. They promptly sent out a 966 Cat loader and crew and were able to readily pull the loader up onto safe ground.