Laserfiche WebLink
May 9, 2014 C- 1981 - 022 /Elk Creek Mine LDS <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y= Inspected N =Not Inspected R= Comments Noted V= Violation Issued NA =Not Applicable <br />R - Air Resource Protection <br />N - Availability of Records <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />N - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />N - Explosives <br />N - Fish & Wildlife <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />N - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />R - Other <br />R - Processing Waste <br />Y - Roads <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />N - Slides and Other Damage <br />R - Support Facilities On -site <br />N - Signs and Markers <br />N - Support Facilities Not On -site <br />N - Special Categories Of Mining <br />N - Topsoil <br />COMMENTS <br />This was a partial inspection by Leigh Simmons and Susan Burgmaier of the Colorado Division of <br />Reclamation, Mining and Safety. Jim Kiger of Oxbow Mining, LLC. was present throughout. The weather was <br />fine and dry although the previous day had been very wet. <br />The status of the Elk Creek mine is "Active" however no coal is currently being mined. There is ongoing <br />uncertainty over the future of the mine following the fire last year which resulted in the loss of the longwall miner. <br />According to Mr Kiger, negotiations with the insurance company are in progress but there has not yet been any <br />resolution. Despite the uncertainty over the short term future, Oxbow continue to make contingency plans for the <br />long term and are in communication with the BLM over a lease modification that would allow them to mine coal <br />from a lower seam; the B -seam. All recent workings are in the D -seam, but there are flooded historic workings in <br />the B- and C- seams. The conceptual plan would be to use the existing D -seam portal and ramp down to the B- <br />seam, leaving sufficient barrier in place to prevent communication with historic workings to the south (the dip is to <br />the NNE). <br />Currently 21 people are employed at the mine, which is staffed during the day only. Gates and concrete <br />barriers have been installed to secure the site when no staff are present. To date no security issues have been <br />reported. Stockpiled coal continues to be shipped by rail, at a rate of —1 train per month. Coal goes to the Long <br />Beach port, and from there by sea to China. The shortfall in Oxbow's production is being met by the neighbouring <br />Bowie and West Elk mines to allow the fulfillment of existing contracts. Mr Kiger estimated that all the stockpiled <br />coal would be shipped by August, 2014. <br />AIR RESOURCE PROTECTION — Rule 4.17: <br />The coal stockpile was smoking in places. The pile was not being worked at the time of the inspection. <br />HYDROLOGIC BALANCE - Rule 4.05 <br />Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.053; Siltation Structures 4.05.5, 4.05.6; Discharge Structures 4.05.7, 4.05.10; <br />Diversions 4.05.4; Effluent Limits 4.05.2; Ground Water Monitoring 4.05.13; Surface Water Monitoring 4.05.13; <br />Drainage — Acid and Toxic Materials 4.05.8, Impoundments 4.05.6, 4.05.9; Stream Buffer Zones 4.05.18: <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 11 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 4 <br />Page 2 of 9 <br />