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September 7, 2016 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine LDS <br /> <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 2 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 1 <br /> <br /> Page 2 of 17 <br /> <br /> <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable <br />N - Air Resource Protection <br />R - Availability of Records <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />N - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />N - Explosives <br />Y - Fish & Wildlife <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />R - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />N - Other <br />R - Processing Waste <br /> <br />Y - Roads <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />R - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />R - Slides and Other Damage <br />R - Support Facilities On-site <br />Y - Signs and Markers <br />N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br />N - Special Categories Of Mining <br />R - Topsoil <br /> <br /> <br />COMMENTS <br /> <br />This was a complete inspection by Leigh Simmons of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). Spencer Shumate of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) oversaw the <br />inspection, and Jessica Wilczek of Mountain Coal Company (MCC) accompanied the inspection. The weather was <br />clear and dry. The mine was active, with 220 people currently employed. <br /> <br />AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS – Rule 5.02.4(1): <br /> Records were available in Kathy Welt’s office and were in good order. Details are given at the end of this <br />report. <br /> <br />HYDROLOGIC BALANCE - Rule 4.05 <br />Drainage Control 4.05.1, 4.05.2, 4.05.3; 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 /> The 2-celled RPE and MB-5E ponds were inspected. The cleaning of both had been completed. Both were <br />holding a little water, but well below the discharge level. <br />The MB-3 pond, near the coal stockpile, had also been cleaned. <br />The NSSA pond was completely dry. <br />The SG-1 pond was holding a little water. <br />No compliance problems were evident at any of the ponds. <br /> <br />GENERAL MINE PLAN COMPLIANCE: <br /> The longwall was in panel E6, between cross-cuts 40 and 39 on the head gate. At the time of the <br />inspection the longwall was stationary while the conveyor belt was being changed; during normal operations the <br />longwall was being operated for either one or two of the 8 hour shifts, depending on specific production <br />requirements. The development miners were still parked, and were expected to remain so until September 19th. <br />The wash plant was being run intermittently.