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OPERATION PLAN <br />Introduction <br />This section describes the general plan for mining activities to be used at the New Horizon North <br />Mine from 2012-2020. The mining methods, including overburden and coal removal, coal supply <br />agreement, and mining equipment are described. The total disturbance area is approximately <br />279.3 acres over the life of the mine. Map 2.05.2-1 shows mine plan with estimated life for the <br />NHN Mine. <br />2.05.3(1) Production Methods and Equipment <br />The NHN Mine will be a surface coal mine with truck -shovel operation. Table 2.05.3-1 gives a <br />list of major equipment to be employed for mining activities. Table 2.05.3-2 gives estimates of <br />acres mined, coal and overburden removed, and stripping ratios. <br />2.05.3(2) Detailed Operation Description <br />Mining at the NHN Mine currently utilizes surface mining methods. The primary coal seam to be <br />recovered is the Lower Dakota seam; however, the Upper Dakota seam will be recovered if it is <br />thick enough and of sufficient quality. Mining cuts will have a general east -west orientation and <br />progress northward. <br />Mining activities began in mid -2013. Excavation for coal mining is performed by dozers, trucks <br />and one shovel. The mine sequence is to first remove the topsoil with dozers, shovels and loaders <br />loading trucks which take the material to designated stockpiles or to the regraded area behind the <br />pit for reclamation. A haul road around the pit is used for this operation. Soft upper overburden <br />may be removed by shovels and trucks and taken to the back of the pit for backfilling using the <br />same loop road. This road moves exactly as the pit moves. Lower overburden is usually blasted <br />and loaded with a shovel and placed behind the pit for backfilling. At the back of the pit, large <br />dozers re -grade the spoil overburden from the shovels and the trucks to the approximate original <br />contour. The exposed coal is loaded with a rubber tired front end loader into over the highway <br />haul trucks which takes the coal to the nearby power plant in Nucla operated by Tri-State, is <br />stockpiled adjacent to the pit, or is loaded with mine equipment and taken to stockpile. The <br />anticipated mining schedule for each area where mining will occur is graphically shown on Map <br />2.05.2-1. Dates for actual mine progress and termination are based on many variables and the <br />progress shown on Map 2.05.2-1 is only approximate. A cross section of the typical pit is shown <br />on Map 2.05.3-1. <br />Mining will begin along the northern boundary of the currently reclaimed New Horizon 1 Mine <br />area and a panel mining method will be used to develop the pits (see Map 2.05.2-1). The panels <br />(cuts) will vary in length and width according to conditions. Panel lengths will approach 2,200 <br />feet and the panel width will vary from 100 to 120 feet. A bottom pit width of 120 feet is the <br />Section 2.05.3 Page 1 February 2016 (MR -16) <br />