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April 10, 2018 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine LDS <br /> <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 6 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 3 <br /> <br /> Page 2 of 12 <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 />N - Availability of Records <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />N - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />Y - Explosives <br />N - Fish & Wildlife <br />R - Hydrologic Balance <br />R - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />N - Other <br />R - Processing Waste <br /> <br />N - Roads <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />R - 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 /> <br /> <br />COMMENTS <br /> <br />This was a partial inspection by Leigh Simmons of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). Mike Peacock of Mountain Coal Company (MCC) accompanied the inspection. The weather was fine <br />and dry, though heavy rain had fallen the past weekend. The mine was active. <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 new culvert below the MSB (C5E-24A) had been protected at the inlet by a poured concrete apron, <br />and at the outlet by large concrete blocks. The poured concrete had cracked and will likely need to be replaced if <br />water is to be prevented from infiltrating the ground around the culvert. <br />The culvert at the first bend on the road to the RPEE was able to convey water, but the sediment trap at the <br />inlet should be cleaned so as to allow water to discharge unimpeded and without ponding. <br />The water level had risen in both the RPE and SG-1 ponds, but neither was close to discharging. <br /> <br />GENERAL MINE PLAN COMPLIANCE: <br /> At the time of the inspection the longwall was in panel E7, at around cross cut 28 on the head gate. The <br />continuous miners were developing the Sunset Mains South, still in the area of the fault. Development of the E8 <br />headgate was recently resumed and was up to around crosscut 12. New ventilation devices being used in the E8 <br />headgate development section has allowed mining of pillars on 300 foot centers (as opposed to 200 foot centers <br />which had been used previously). <br />The following permitting actions were in progress: <br /> RN-7, which was found complete on February 1, 2016. The decision due date has been extended to April <br />30, 2018. <br /> TR-145, which was found complete on March 20, 2018. The decision due date is May 19, 2018.