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West Elk Mine <br /> central coal body, the E Seam splits into two distinct benches (EO and E 1) as the intervening rock <br /> parting thickens (Map 18). <br /> Further to the east and west, the upper (EO) bench of the E Seam maintains mineable thickness, <br /> ranging from 8.0 to 12.0 feet. The EO bench thins to its mineable thickness limit of 8.0 feet and <br /> continues splitting and thinning further to the east and west. Within the Jumbo Mountain and <br /> most of Box Canyon lease areas, the E Seam is split and comprised of several thin (<5 feet) coal <br /> benches that are separated by rock partings. In these areas, these splits collectively form the E <br /> Seam "zone" as shown on the stratigraphic cross-sections (Figure 5A through Figure 5F). <br /> Because of the thin and erratic nature of these coal benches, the E Seam is considered un- <br /> mineable in the Jumbo Mountain and most of the Box Canyon lease tracts. <br /> Where the E Seam coal benches merge to form one thick seam, away from the influence of the <br /> split, the coal quality is generally good. This is because the upper (EO) bench is thicker and <br /> "cleaner" with fewer impurities than the lower (El) bench, which frequently contains bony or <br /> shaley layers. The additional seam height will also allow top and bottom coal to be left during <br /> mining, which will improve product quality by reducing out-of-seam dilution. This thicker and <br /> higher quality E 100Seam deposit was mined during the 1940's from the Oliver No. 2 mining <br /> operation (Map 18), and will likewise be mined locally within the South of Divide permit <br /> revision area. <br /> E Seam Reserves <br /> Mineable E Seam reserves are the basis for revised mining plan and reflect longwall mining heights <br /> ranging from 8 to 14 feet, dependent upon seam thickness and other operating constants due to <br /> reserve geology. As shown on the E Seam thickness map(Map 18),the mineable E Seam reserve is <br /> bounded on the northwest, east, and south by the thinning of the uppermost, EO coal bench to 8 foot <br /> and less in thickness and the Mt. Gunnison laccolith. To the southwest, the E Seam reserve is <br /> restricted by outcrop. To the north,the E Seam is merged with the underlying D Seam and has been <br /> mined by the Oliver No. 2 Mine operation. <br /> The existing mined slopes that were used to access the B Seam from the F Seam workings are <br /> located such that they pass through the northern-most extent of the mineable E Seam reserve. <br /> Access to E Seam reserves are from these slopes south to the main body of the reserve and east <br /> and north to develop to the existing shaft ventilation facilities. Mining of E seam longwall <br /> panels LWEI through LWE8 was begun in late 2008 and is planned through 2019, followed by <br /> mining of the planned Sunset Trail longwall panels as depicted on Map 51. Future E seam <br /> mining plans include longwall mining reserves along the E South Mains in longwall panel <br /> LWE9 and longwall panels LWE10 through LWE12 that are located longwall panels B12, B13, <br /> and B13A. Mining plans also include mining of, currently situated in the existing permit area, <br /> to avoid potential subsidence effects on Minnesota Creek Reservoir and landslides within the <br /> Dry Fork drainage. Projected reserves and quality are shown on the tables above. <br /> 204-28 Rev 11/04-PRIO;03/18-PR15 <br />