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February 27, 2025 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine LDS <br /> <br />Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 6 <br />Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 2 <br /> <br /> Page 2 of 9 <br /> <br /> <br />Inspection Topic Summary <br />NOTE: Y=Inspected N=Not Inspected R=Comments Noted V=Violation Issued NA=Not Applicable <br />N - Air Resource Protection <br />N - Availability of Records <br />Y - Backfill & Grading <br />Y - Excess Spoil and Dev. Waste <br />N - Explosives <br />Y - Fish & Wildlife <br />Y - Hydrologic Balance <br />R - Gen. Compliance With Mine Plan <br />R - Other <br />R - Processing Waste <br /> <br />N - Roads <br />N - Reclamation Success <br />N - Revegetation <br />N - Subsidence <br />R - Slides and Other Damage <br />R - Support Facilities On-site <br />Y - Signs and Markers <br />N - Support Facilities Not On-site <br />N - Special Categories Of Mining <br />Y - Topsoil <br /> <br /> <br />COMMENTS <br /> <br />This was a partial inspection by Leigh Simmons of the Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />(Division). The weather was clear and dry, with snow on the ground. The mine was active. The inspection was <br />accompanied by Josh Thompson of Mountain Coal Company (MCC). <br /> <br />GENERAL MINE PLAN COMPLIANCE: <br /> Longwall mining of the LWE16 panel was in progress, between cross-cuts 10 and 9 on the head gate. <br />Three development crews were working: in the B26 tail gate at around cross-cut 27, in the B26 head gate <br />at around cross-cut 49, and in the B27 head gate at around cross-cut 27. <br />Contractors with Phoenix Mining continued to work on pillaring of the Sunset Mains, the job was <br />expected to be completed by March 2025. <br /> <br />OTHER (SPECIFY): <br /> The merger between Arch Resources and Consol Energy was completed in January, to form a new entity: <br />Core Natural Resources, Inc. No changes were made to Mountain Coal Company, which continues to be the <br />operator of the West Elk Mine. MCC plan to update the Permit Application Packet (PAP) with up-to-date <br />information about the corporate hierarchy and the officers and directors as soon as possible. <br /> <br />PROCESSING WASTE/COAL MINE WASTE PILES – Rule 4.10 and 4.11 <br />Drainage Control; Surface Stabilization; Placement: <br /> The processing plant continued to operate intermittently, to process material from the longwall as well as <br />the development sections. Waste material was being temporarily stockpiled on the RPE. <br />The RPEE was not accessible, but the outslopes could be seen from across the river. The pile was snow-covered <br />and there was no sign of any instability. <br />Stockpiled coal fines continued to be drawn down, with an estimated 60,000 tons remaining. <br /> <br />SLIDES and DAMAGE - Rule 4.12: <br /> A small slump had been identified above the hairpin on the Sylvester Gulch Road (note for clarification: