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West Elk Mine(C-1980-007) MT-9 <br /> Section I - Mine History and the Environment <br /> Mine Status and History <br /> The West Elk Mine is an active underground coal mine, encompassing approximately 19,854.9 acres <br /> of Gunnison and Delta counties, with workings in three seams of the Mesaverde Formation. Mining of <br /> the West Elk Mine began in 1982. <br /> Description of the Environment <br /> The West Elk Mine is located approximately one mile east of the town of Somerset on Colorado State <br /> Highway No. 133. The western permit boundary extends to the outer slopes of Jumbo Mountain. <br /> Permit Revision 11 extended the eastern permit boundary into the Raven Gulch and Deep Creek <br /> watersheds. The northern extremity of the permit area lies just north of the North Fork of the <br /> Gunnison River. Permit Revision 10 extended the southern boundary of the permit area south of <br /> Minnesota Reservoir into the drainage basins of Minnesota Creek, Dry Fork, Lick Creek, Poison Gulch, <br /> and Deep Creek. Permit Revision 12 extended the permit area to the southeast with the addition of <br /> the Dry Fork lease. Permit Revision 15 extended the southern boundary of the permit area, to <br /> include the South Prong and Horse Creek watersheds. (See Figure 1). <br /> The active Elk Creek Mine is located just northwest of the West Elk Mine facilities, north of the North <br /> Fork of the Gunnison River. The reclaimed Bear Mine is adjacent to the West Elk Mine on the west. <br /> Several historic mines, including the Hawks Nest, Black Beauty, Edwards and Oliver Mines, are <br /> situated within or near the northeast portion of the West Elk Mine permit area. <br /> The West Elk Mine is on the western flank of the West Elk Mountains in the drainage basin of the <br /> North Fork of the Gunnison River. The climate is semi-arid. Topography is characterized by steeply <br /> sloping mountains covered primarily with tall shrub vegetation, particularly Gambel oak and <br /> Saskatoon serviceberry. The general area where the mine is located is currently used for grazing <br /> domestic livestock (cattle and sheep) and wildlife (deer and elk). Recreational activities such as big <br /> game hunting also occur here. <br /> Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit area, and elevations range from 5,900 feet at <br /> Somerset in the valley of the North Fork, to above 9,800 feet in the southeast corner of the permit <br /> area. The steep slopes of the stream valleys and the instability of the rock strata in the North Fork <br /> drainage basin have contributed to numerous landslides, mud flows and rock falls. These mass <br /> wasting features have been mapped by W.R. Junge of the Colorado Geological Survey and published <br /> as an open file report, entitled "Geologic Hazards, North Fork Gunnison River Valley, Delta and <br /> Gunnison Counties, Colorado" (lunge, 1978). <br /> The primary land uses within the permit area are characterized as rangeland and woodland, <br /> supporting big game (deer and elk) and livestock (cattle and sheep). Portions of the permit area are <br /> within the boundaries of Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. <br /> Page 3 of 14 <br />