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December 20, 2018 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine LDS <br /> <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 5 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 2 <br /> <br /> Page 2 of 8 <br /> <br /> <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable <br />Y - Air Resource Protection <br />R - Availability of Records <br />N - Backfill & Grading <br />N - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />N - 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 />Y - Roads <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />Y - 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 />Y - 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). Kathy Welt and Mike Peacock of Mountain Coal Company (MCC) each accompanied the inspection at <br />times. The weather was fine and dry, but cold with snow on the ground. The mine was active. <br /> <br />AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS – Rule 5.02.4(1): <br /> Records were available in the mine office. Details are given at the end of this 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 /> Sediment ponds held a minimal amount of water. Ditches in shady areas were frozen and covered with a <br />layer of ice and snow. <br /> <br />GENERAL MINE PLAN COMPLIANCE: <br /> Development mining had progressed to cross cut 17 on the Sunset Mains South and to cross cut 4 on the <br />Sunset 1 headgate. <br />MCC had completed the move of the longwall equipment to the start line (east end) of the E8 panel. The <br />seals to the E7 panel had been built, and certified by MCC engineers; a sample of the seal material was to be <br />transported for testing at a MSHA certified lab in Grand Junction the following day. It was anticipated that mining <br />of the E8 panel would begin on December 26. <br />The volume of stockpiled coal had been drawn down significantly, although a relatively large amount of <br />coal remained (perhaps 140,000 tons, according to Mr. Peacock’s rough estimate). It appeared that the stockpile <br />had been kept within the footprint of the stockpile pad, although MCC should clean a small amount of spilled <br />material from the concrete lined ditch on the south side of the stockpile. <br />