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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 />(NHN) Mine from 2013-2017. The mining methods, including overburden and coal removal, <br />coal supply agreement, and mining equipment are described. The total disturbance area is <br />approximately 196 acres over the life of the mine. Map 2.05.2-1 shows mine plan with estimated <br />life for the 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 />NHN Mine excavation is performed by dozers, loaders, trucks, and a shovel. The sequence is to <br />first remove topsoil with dozers, a shovel, and loaders loading trucks which take the material to <br />designated stockpiles or to regraded area behind the pit for reclamation. Soft upper overburden <br />may be removed by a shovel or loader and trucks and taken to a designated stockpile or to the pit <br />for backfilling. If taken to the pit for backfilling, dozers regrade the spoil overburden to approved <br />post mining topography. Lower overburden is usually cast blasted where approximately 25% of <br />the overburden is cast into its final position in the backfill. The remaining shot overburden is <br />either pushed with dozers into its final position in the backfill or loaded with a shovel or loader <br />and taken to a designated stockpile or placed behind the pit for backfilling. The exposed coal is <br />loaded either from the pit or stockpiles into over -the -road haul trucks which take the coal to the <br />nearby Nucla Station power plant operated by Tri-State Generation and Transmission (Tri-State). <br />The anticipated mining schedule for each area where mining will occur is shown graphically on <br />Map 2.05.2-1 and a cross section of the typical pit is shown 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 />maximum that will be employed. The exposed coal portion of the bottom of the pit is generally <br />120 feet wide. Since this operation uses the graded spoil as a base for the overburden truck <br />Section 2.05.3 Page 1 March 2018 (TR -16) <br />