Guidelines for Mine Permit Survey Letter Reports

In order to reduce the time and expense of cultural resource surveys performed for DHEC-Mining permits, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History (SCDAH) will accept letter reports for mine permit surveys that 1) do not identify sites or 2) identify only sites that are not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. SCDAH will continue to require full survey reports for mine permit surveys that identify eligible or potentially eligible sites. To ensure timely review, all letter reports must include the following:

1. Project Title
2. Agency Requiring Work
3. Agency Project Number(s)
4. Project Location (include a 7.5-minute USGS  
    topographic map and project planning maps)
5. Field Personnel and Dates of Survey
6. Brief Statement of Project Goals and Objectives
7. Field Methods 
Field methods should be described in a way that lets reviewers and future researchers easily reconstruct what was done and why. The following types of information should be included under this section:

a. Survey description. Specific techniques should be described and justified for the project area. Describe locations examined, intervals between transects, surface visibility, soils, and methods of collection, when applicable.
b. Maps. Cartographic illustrations should depict pedestrian survey areas, subsurface tests and/or excavations, and any relevant field description (e.g. vegetative cover). All maps will include a north arrow (magnetic north, true north, or grid north), a map scale (e.g., 1:24,000), and a bar scale.
c. Photographs. Include at least two color photographs showing the project area and a sample excavation unit.

8. Summary of Results 
For surveys that identify only sites that are not eligible, letter reports also should include sufficient information (i.e. artifact inventory, site descriptions, and statements of significance) for SCDAH staff to make determinations of eligibility. Please refer to the South Carolina Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological Investigations (2005) for more details (Sections IV.C.10, 11, and 12). Short reports for mining projects that find only not eligible sites do not need to include extensive environmental and cultural contexts. Include only relevant information that will be helpful in evaluating report recommendations.
If SCDAH is not able to adequately evaluate report recommendations, more information will be requested.