Ashcroft Roofing Granule Quarry Project planning and reclamation for a new mine EV : an area of multiple use

The Ashcroft Quarry Project, located approximately 65 km west of Kamloops in arid sagebrushbunchgrass rangeland, entails the extraction and processing of crushed basaltic tuff for the manufacture of roofing granules. The Mining Lease is on Crown land, within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR. The quarry and processing plant are expected to operate at least 50 years and will alienate about 45 ha of high quality rangeland grazed by both cattle and wildlife. Intensive reclamation of the areas of short-terrn disturbance will minimize the loss of range in the nearterm. Final reclamation of the quarry and dump areas will involve the use of both native and agronomic grasses (bunchgrass and annuals), as well as native shrubs and trees. A weed control program, involving the identification and eradication of weed species through mechanical and chemical controls, was initiated in the first year of major site development. This paper provides a brief description of the development and major planning issues, as well as a review of the reclamation objectives and specific practices employed at the site in the first two years of development.Non UBCUnreviewedOthe