2020-08-20_REVISION - C1980007 (36)

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Description of the Operations and Reclamation Plans - Rules 2.05.3 and 2.05.4 Mining at the West Elk Mine began in 1982. The West Elk Mine leasehold consists of mineable coal reserves in seven Federal coal leases, one private lease and other fee coal properties. The mine permit area encompasses approximately 19,854.9 acres. Coal production in 2017 was 4.9 million tons, with 3-6 million tons of production projected annually from 2018 through 2023. Coal is produced using the longwall mining method. Six major coal seams exist within the West Elk Mine permit boundary. The seams are identified by the letters A through F, in ascending stratigraphic order. The seams are separated by shale, siltstone, and sandstone beds that vary in thickness from 15 feet to more than 250 feet. MCC's leasehold has economically minable coal reserves in two of the seams, the B-seam and the E- seam. Mining was by room-and-pillar methods until 1992 when longwall mining began in the northern B-seam. A new longwall was acquired in 2008 for mining in the E-seam, and is intended to be used for future mining in the southern B-seam. MCC mined in the F-seam from 1982 to 1991 in leases D-004569 and C-0117192. This mining was only marginally successful. Poor mine roof conditions, sandstone channels, low coal areas, poor coal quality areas, and other unfavorable conditions have negatively affected mining and rendered the F-seam uneconomic under past and present market conditions. Mining in the F- seam has been discontinued, pending improved economics for this seam. Existing workings in the F-seam are shown on Map 50 of the PAP. In April 1989, an application for a technical revision for an incidental boundary change to add 35.5 acres to the permit area was submitted. The revision was for access and associated activities by way of slopes and a ventilation shaft from inside the existing F-seam workings to the B-seam. The revision also included mining in the B-seam by room and pillar, as well as longwall mining methods. The 35.5-acre incidental boundary change was necessary to accommodate the B-seam main access entries. The Division subsequently issued a proposed decision to approve the revision on July 12, 1989. The mine plan for the B-seam is shown on Map 52 of the PAP. Mining has been completed in the northern B-seam reserves (in leases D-044569, CO-117192, C0054558 and COC-67011), but recoverable reserves totaling an estimated 31.4 million tons remain in leases COC-56447, COC-67232 and C-1362. Since recoverable reserves in the E-seam overlie the projected B-seam panels, it is intended that most of the remaining E-seam reserves be mined out before returning to the southern B-seam reserves by new rock slope entries from the E-seam workings, as approved in TR-137. In January 2000, elevated levels of indicator gases showed there was probable combustion in gob in a mined-out area of the B-West mains. Operations were curtailed and MCC immediately began an operation to access the B-seam by drilling into the mine from the Apache Rocks area above. Approval was obtained from both the Division and the US Forest Service to initiate a drilling program in that area. Nineteen 4-inch boreholes were drilled for locating the combustion area and water was pumped into that part of the workings. In the spring of 2001, the Mine Safety and Health Administration(MSHA) gave MCC permission to curtail the pumping of water, so the company completely sealed off the area underground and initiated the approved reclamation of the disturbed ground on the surface. 24