2024-08-29_PERMIT FILE - C1980007 (2)

Home Browse Search

West Elk Mine 2.05-21 Rev. 06/05, 01/06, 03/06, 04/06 & 05/06- PR10; 01/09- MR350; 04/09- TR116; 04/09- MR353; 05/09- MR354; 08/09- TR118; 08/09- TR119; 09/12- MR387; 11/12- MR390; 07/18-PR15; 11/18- MR430; MR438- 09/19; MR439- 11/19; 07/20- MR447; 6/22- MR464; 6/22 MR466; 6/22 MR468; 11/22 MR471; 07/23 MR474; 8/23 MR476; 09/23 MR477, 10/23 MR478, MR479, 3/24 MR480, 05/24 MR-481 fall of 1997. The ventilation fans and associated buildings, a nitrogen supply facility, mine ventilation air heaters, rock dust supply tank are also located on the Sylvester Gulch ventilation shafts bench. This ventilation facility is located approximately one half mile south of the Sylvester Gulch Fan (Map 53B). Information regarding the design, construction and operation of these ventilation facilities is contained in Exhibit 69. A third ventilation shaft (Vent Shaft #3) was constructed during the summer and fall of 1997. Vent Shaft #3 is a 10-foot finished diameter shaft located approximately 400 feet east of the electric borehole site (Map 53B). Information regarding the design, construction, and operation of the ventilation facility is contained in Exhibit 69. Sylvester Gulch Mine- Dewatering and Treatment Facilities MCC designed and constructed mine dewatering and treatment facilities located within the Sylvester Gulch drainage. The system consists of one 18-inch cased borehole, one 16-inch borehole (completed as a 12-inch cased hole), and two 20-inch cased boreholes, completed during the summer of 1997 to access the operational sump in the northeast corner of the 10NE Tailgate of the B seam. Following the completion of ventilation seals on the 10NE and 11NE longwall panels, this area became the NE Panels Sealed Sump. MCC utilizes the sealed sump as a large volume mine- water storage area and pumps the water out of the mine through one of the boreholes to Sylvester Gulch. The smaller borehole serves as a recirculation loop to the sump and the two 20-inch cased boreholes serve as alternate recirculation boreholes and/or boreholes for water level indicators. Refer to the Probable Hydrologic Consequences section of the permit for additional discussion of the sumps. The treatment facilities include a dewatering pump station and treatment building, an aeration pond, and a secondary settling pond. A detailed discussion of each facility is provided in Exhibit 69, Sylvester Gulch Facilities Area. Temporary Bathhouse Facilities necessary to house additional personnel for E Seam construction and development work were installed near Shaft #1 in Sylvester Gulch in late May 2005. These facilities were temporary in nature and designed to be removed when additional staffing is no longer required for E Seam development and construction needs. All construction and installation work was performed within the existing disturbed areas at the Shafts #1 and #2 area in Sylvester Gulch. There were no changes made to any existing sediment controls, ditches or roads. Surfaces were restored to the existing compacted roadbase when excavations for conduits and piping were completed. All equipment and facilities were placed on the existing surfaces with no concrete foundations except for the two electrical transformers required for the facility. These required a single reinforced concrete slab on grade approximately 8 feet wide by 12 feet long. This slab will also be removed when additional staffing is no longer required.