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Mining began along the eastern subcrop of the New Horizon Mine 2 area and uses a panel mining <br /> method to develop the pits (see Map 2.05.3-1). The panels will vary in length and width according <br /> to conditions, but will average approximately 2400 feet long and 120 feet wide. The mine will <br /> occasionally have up to two pits actively working in order to effectively mine the two seams. In <br /> 1998, WFC permitted a slot cut immediately south of BB Road in order to provide room to turn the <br /> pit to the north in preparation to mine through BB Road. This slot cut is 115 foot wide by 1,700 foot <br /> long as shown on Exhibit 2.05.2-3 for location. A slot cut of similar width is also needed on the east <br /> side of 2700 Road as mining proceeds north to the outcrop from the year 2000-2003. Exhibit 2.05.2- <br /> 3 has been modified to show the slot. The slot will begin approximately 630 feet south of the <br /> intersection of BB Road and 2700 Road and will extend north of the intersection to near the Reeder <br /> Garret property. The total length of the slot cut is 1550 feet. This open "turn" slot is necessary to <br /> allow for a safe truck-shovel working area and for the overburden push dozer(s) to dump their spoil <br /> off the coal edge when the mining operation first turns and advances northward. Exhibit 2.05.2-4 <br /> shows a typical cross section of the Pit Turn Slot Cut and volumetric are listed. WFC plans on <br /> making up the deficit backfill volume this cut will create when it mines west of 2700 Road in the <br /> amendment area and the overburden depth increases. Currently, mining progresses east to west with <br /> the long axis of the pits north to south. The overburden is excavated using dozers and a shovel and <br /> trucks and then placed or pushed into an adjacent or nearby mined-out pit panels, with the exception <br /> of the initial cut, which was placed adjacent to the pit onto land designated as a temporary <br /> overburden stockpile (see Map 2.05.3-1). <br /> During overburden removal operations,some selective handling of material will be performed based <br /> on chemical and physical core data contained in Section 2.04.6, Geology Description, and <br /> discussions presented in Section 2.05.4(2)(d), Topsoil (Redistribution) of the permit application. <br /> Following recovery of the lower Dakota coal seam, the pit will be backfrlled to approximate original <br /> contour. Overburden testing is being done to ensure that acid or toxic forming overburden is not <br /> placed within four feet of the surface and areas retreated as necessary. Topsoil will then be replaced <br /> in approximate thicknesses of 1.0 feet on dryland pastures and 1.5 feet on irrigated pastures, <br /> dependent upon the actual amount of topsoil recovered. The areas will then be seeded and irrigated <br /> for pasture establishment. <br /> Within the PR-05 portion of the New Horizon Mine 2 area, a total soil replacement depth of <br /> approximately 3.4 feet is projected for irrigated haylands and irrigated pasturelands designated as <br /> "Block A", on Map 2.05.4-4. A total replacement depth of approximately 1.9 feet is projected for <br /> "Block B" irrigated pasturelands, 1.1 feet for"Block C", which includes both irrigated pasturelands <br /> and dryland pasture; and approximately 1 foot for `Block D" dryland pasture. Two lift soil <br /> replacement will be used on all replacement areas except "Block D", where single lift replacement <br /> will be utilized. <br /> In accordance with landowner desires, the reclamation plan will be directed toward replacement and <br /> enhancement of the dominant irrigated hayland and pastureland land uses. Small areas of steeper <br /> slopes or property comers difficult to irrigate will be planted to dryland pasture, in accordance with <br /> landowner requests. Reclamation efforts will not be directed toward restoring the minor acreage of <br /> depleted sagebrush rangeland, or the artificially subirrigated swale areas. It is anticipated that <br /> wetland vegetation will establish in low spots and adjacent to impoundments on the reclaimed <br /> landscape, due to the presence of water from irrigation runoff. Continued incidental use of the <br /> reclaimed landscape by wildlife similar to that which occurred prior to mining, is expected. <br /> I <br />