|
History of C-1982-056
<br /> Coal has historically been mined under other approved permits by surface methods on the dip
<br /> slopes, where overburden thickness allows for economic extraction within Twentymile Park
<br /> around its margins, and where folding has elevated a major coal seam within the basin. Foidel
<br /> Creek Mine is currently the only producing underground operation within Twentymile Park. The
<br /> mine is a longwall operation, using continuous miners for entry and development work only.
<br /> The permit area encompasses approximately 22,607 acres.
<br /> USGS Quadrangle maps of Milner and Rattlesnake Butte cover the majority of the permit area.
<br /> Disturbed areas of the mine include the main surface facilities area along Foidel Creek and
<br /> numerous smaller outlying facilities. These mine-related facilities result in 762.7 total disturbed
<br /> acres. The main mine facilities lie in Sections 29, 31, 32, TSN, R86W of the 6th Principal
<br /> Meridian and are located in, and adjacent to, a strip pit excavated originally by Colorado Yampa
<br /> Coal Company's (CYCC) surface mining operation (No. C1981-071). Other facilities currently
<br /> within the permit area, but separate from the main portal facility area, include the Fish Creek
<br /> Borehole (FCB)facility, the Southwest ventilation facility (SW vent), the Eastern Mining
<br /> District ventilation facility (EMD vent), the Eastern Mining District dewatering facility (TORT
<br /> borehole), the 18-Right Escape Shaft and MAC borehole, the 18-Left Ventilation boreholes and
<br /> MAC borehole, the 6-Main North Ventilation Shaft, the 6-Main North escape shaft and supply
<br /> boreholes, the 6-Main North reservoir, the 16-Left Utility Borehole, the Sandstones substation
<br /> and Barricade chamber, the Fish Creek Tipple (FCT)facility, the Eastern Mining District grout
<br /> hole pad, and various roads and waterlines throughout the permit area.
<br /> The Fish Creek Borehole (FCB)is located on Fish Creek approximately two miles northwest of
<br /> the main facility area in Section 25, TSN, R87W. The FCB facility consists of two dewatering
<br /> boreholes, an inactive ventilation shaft that has been reconfigured to a mine water borehole, three
<br /> treatment ponds, associated roads, a substation, a utility building, and water treatment
<br /> equipment. The SW vent was reclaimed in 1996 and is located in Section 36, TSN, R87W. The
<br /> EMD vent facility is located in Section 14, TSN, R86W and consists of two ventilation shafts
<br /> (intake air and return air), intake air heating unit, associated buildings, powerlines, and fuel tank.
<br /> The 10 Right boreholes (formerly referred to as the EMD borehole) disturbed area is located in
<br /> Section 21, TSN, R86W and consists of two boreholes, a pump building, several buried water
<br /> lines, topsoil stockpiles, and a graveled pad. The Sandstones substation in Section 20, TSN,
<br /> R86W no longer serves as a power drop to the mine, but the pad was utilized for a thickener
<br /> underflow borehole in 2017. The nearby Barricade chamber(formerly referred to as the North
<br /> Escape Shaft) has no facilities but exists as a completed three-foot diameter shaft that has been
<br /> capped with a temporary steel cap. The shaft at the Barricade chamber is used to direct water
<br /> back into the mine as a part of the mine water system.
<br /> The Fish Creek Tipple (FCT)facility is located approximately five miles northeast of the main
<br /> portal area in Section 2, TSN, R86W, about seven miles downstream on Fish Creek from the
<br /> FCB facility. It was originally permitted separately under permit No. C1981-036 but since has
<br /> been incorporated into the Foidel Creek permit No. C-1982-056. It consisted of a rail load out,
<br /> crushing and screening equipment, conveyors, stockpile areas, and a sediment control system of
<br /> Foidel Creek Mine 6 August 4,2023
<br />
|