2024-01-22_PERMIT FILE - C1980007A (3)

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West Elk Mine 2.05-3 Rev. 11/04- PR11; 03/06- PR10; 07/15- MR413; 07/18- PR15, 01/24-TR152 shaft, one compartment for ventilation and the other for a mine hoist for transporting men and light materials. Ventilation shaft #1 is 650 feet deep and 34-feet in diameter and shaft #2 is 693 feet deep and 28-feet in diameter. Both shafts are concrete-lined. The E Seam workings are accessed from the existing slopes between the F and the B seams. The two slopes are separated by approximately 100 feet horizontally, and the portion of the slopes between the F and the E seams is approximately 1,000 feet long. The southern B Seam longwall panels will be ventilated and accessed through three rock slope entries and a ventilation shaft between the E and B Seams. The rock slopes will be nearly 1,400 feet in length on a 14% grade and the ventilation shaft will be about 20 feet in diameter and 200 feet in depth. Production Methods and Equipment Longwall technology is employed at West Elk Mine. The first longwall (utilized in the northern B seam area) was acquired in 1992 and was updated over the years. A new longwall was acquired in 2008 for mining the E Seam and is also well-suited for future mining the southern B Seam longwall panels. Longwall panels are developed using conventional continuous mining methods. Several key pieces of equipment, including continuous miners, diesel-powered coal haulers, roof-bolters, feeder-breakers, and other support equipment are used to develop headgate, tailgate, and other entries for the longwall panels. Additionally, retreat mining is used at the West Elk Mine. This is done by taking alternating lifts from each side of the existing entryway’s and retreating outby. The equipment used to mine in this fashion are two mobile roof support (MRS), a continuous miner, ramcar and/or end drive shuttle cars. Detailed mining sequences can be found in Exhibit 84, the Geotechnical Assessment For The Purpose Of Pillar Extraction Between 2 And 30 Crosscuts In Sunset South Mains, dated December 27, 2023. All coal is conveyed to the surface via conveyor systems. Other mining infrastructure includes electric power supply, water supply, water discharge, rock dust supply, compressed air supply, communications, mine monitoring, and other ancillary mining support systems. Associated surface facilities include main ventilation fans; mine dewatering installations; mine ventilation borehole systems; coal stockpiles; coal crushing, screening, and conveying systems; silos for coal storage; train loadout facilities; maintenance and warehouse facilities; office/bathhouse facilities; and various ancillary facilities. Coal Reserves and Recovery The West Elk Mine reserve base consists of mineable coal reserves in seven Federal coal leases, one private (fee) lease, and other fee coal properties. The Federal leases are D-044569, C- 0117192, COC-56447, COC-54558, C-1362, COC-67011, COC-67232. The private lease is the Mt. Gunnison Fuel Company lease.