Most of the information compiled for the article was taken from the source, Ed Payne. Here is his response that I received last night after forwarding your reply to him. As the article states after extensive research, the conclusion has been made that these patterns are not a result of any type of exploration or mining activity.

"I made many phone calls to people in Utah and Colorado who were on site for exploratory work and without exception each one of these sources indicated that no such patterns or shapes where ever created in any oil, gas, tar sands or uranium explorations in Utah or Colorado or anywhere else. Third, the state of Utah aerial mapping department was contacted and the individual involved indicated that he had noticed some patterns and was very interested but had no knowledge of a source and wondered if I would keep in contact with whatever I found out. Fourth, a well known archeologist had found lines which are associated with these patterns and he speculated that they were Anasazi made without knowing about the associated patterns which he had not seen. BLM archeologist Craig Harmon located in the Richfield Utah Office indicated he has seen what he thought were spirals on the gound which in fact were complete circles as we both examined them with GE he was totally amazed and was and is determined to investigate. Many of the lines associated with the patterns have been used by relatively modern roads and many of the roads are very old likely 70 to 80 years would be my guess and the lines continue as the roads leave them and many lines go the edge of cliff that are 400 to 800 and 1000 ft in height and continue straight on the other side of canyons. If someone has the answer other than ancient that makes sense I would like to know about it."

I also conducted a bit of research myself after reviewing your reply yesterday via the internet. I viewed several Uranium mine sites in Utah and I saw no evidence of similar patterns near the mine sites. I also viewed most of the oil field sites in Utah and I saw no evidence of circular, linear, hexagon, flower or pattern features. Utah Oil Fields
Many of the oil and mine sites are relatively new, after the year 2000. The pattern/circular features exist on the aerial imagery seen with Microsoft Terraserver from 1993.

If you still feel these to be modern mining/oil patterns, can you please provide us with a similar placemark so that we can view other areas where these types of patterns exist? There should be some in Texas, Wyoming and other states associated with the type of activity you have indicated.

As far as determining the age, if you look at many of the placemarks some of them seem to have been washed away by water. I'm not sure of the exact date as to when water last ran in these remote areas, but probably more than 100 years ago. Of course that's my input after looking at and documenting all the sites.