2019-11-14_REVISION - C1981012 (11)

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November 13, 2019. Based on these checks, there were no violations retrieved by the system. On November 14, 2019, the Division proposed to approve the application for renewal. Description of the Environment The primary portion of the New Elk Mine (which includes the main facilities, the Refuse Disposal Area,portal areas, and the affected area above mine workings) is located approximately 24 miles west of Trinidad, Colorado. The surface disturbance at the main mine site is located in a plateau area. The elevation of the surface facilities ranges from 7,400 to 7,800 feet. The affected area extends south of the facilities approximately two and a half miles into the Bosque del Oso State Wildlife Area and is predominantly steep forested land. The maximum elevation of the affected area is over 8,200 feet. The Jansen Loadout is located in an unincorporated area on the west side of Trinidad. It lies in the Purgatoire River valley below the Trinidad Lake dam in an industrial park. A pasture borders the loadout on the south side. Although the loadout area extends for approximately 3,000 feet, it is very flat and the elevation (approximately 6,100 feet) does not vary significantly. The area that includes the sealed Northwest Airshaft(formerly in the Golden Eagle mine) is approximately two miles east of the main mine area and at an approximate elevation of 7,300 feet. Characteristics of this area are similar to those of the main mine area, described below. The general location of the site is depicted in Map 1 of the PAP. Land Use and Wildlife Land use in the area consists of cropland, rangeland,pastureland, and wildlife habitat. Livestock grazing and hay production on irrigated lands are the main agricultural practice conducted in the general area. A variety of large and small mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles are permanent or temporary residents of the area. The Jansen Loadout land use has been industrial for at least two decades. The site is located adjacent to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad grade. In the PAP, Map 4 depicts the pre-mining land use, and Maps 15 and 16 depict the post-mining land use at the New Elk Mine. Exhibit 40 includes a map and other information on the loadout. Geology The New Elk Mine is located in the western limb of the Raton Basin. The Raton Basin is a broad, asymmetric syncline whose axis trends north-south. Previous mining at this site was entirely within the Allen Seam, stratigraphically located in the Raton Formation (Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene). The Poison Canyon Formation (Paleocene)unconformably overlies the Raton Formation. The Poison Canyon Formation has a thickness of approximately 200 feet and occurs only as small, isolated outcrops above an elevation of 8,000 feet. Unconsolidated New Elk Mine November 2019 Findings for RN-07 4