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RULE 2 PERMITS <br />3. Vegetation material mixed with the topsoil helps reduce compaction when topsoil <br />is replaced, and provides additional erosion control. <br />4. Vegetation material in the topsoil will increase organic matter and thereby <br />encourage microbial activity, and speed natural soil building processes. It is very <br />unlikely that mixing the vegetation with topsoil could adversely effect reclamation. <br />The determination of the amount of any fertilizer to be applied will be determined <br />as per the Soil Testing Program. <br />The vegetative material that could be large enough to interfere with topsoil operations refers to the <br />large Gambel's Oak and Aspen. The larger trees are not crushed as is the smaller brush during the <br />course of topsoil removal, stockpiling and/or redistribution by dozers, loaders, trucks and scrapers. <br />Once handled by the equipment, the smaller brush causes little problem during later phases of the <br />topsoil or reclamation operations. <br />When removed by dozers, the topsoil is pushed into piles and loaded into haulage trucks for <br />transport to stockpiles or regraded spoils. In addition to haulage to remote stockpiles, topsoil <br />windrows may be left in place at the edge or perimeters of disturbance areas. Dozers, scrapers, or <br />haul trucks are used to redistribute topsoil. Topsoil stockpiles will be strategically located in stable <br />areas to avoid both wind and water erosion, disturbance, unnecessary compaction, and <br />contamination. In addition, topsoil stockpiles will be appropriately marked with signs made of <br />durable material. When stockpiles are no longer active, they will be graded with a dozer. To further <br />prevent erosion, seeding of stockpiles will be accomplished according to procedures described in <br />Section 2.05.4. <br />Topsoil removal schedules and stockpile locations are delineated on the Topsoil Handling Map, <br />(Map 28 and 28A). The amount of topsoil in stockpile and the amount projected to be available <br />for redistribution are summarized on Table 2.05-1. This balance calculation shows that sufficient <br />topsoil is available. Replacement depth for future lands is discussed in Section 4.06.4. <br />Topsoil will be removed from an area primarily during the summer and fall months to allow for <br />one year's mining advance. A buffer zone, with topsoil removed, will be left between the <br />undisturbed area and the crest of the pit. <br />Following topsoil removal, the next step is drill bench preparation and the drilling and blasting of <br />the overburden material. Colowyo maintains and operates several rotary drills for penetrating the <br />overburden and interburden material. Dozers are used to construct a drill bench, a level area for <br />the drill to work on. The overburden drill then drills a pattern of holes to either a predetermined <br />sub -grade depth or to the top of the coal seam. The spacing of the holes will be dependent upon <br />the overburden thickness. Holes will be loaded with either ANFO or a waterproof explosive, if <br />the hole is wet. The hole will then be stemmed with drill cuttings and blasted in accordance with <br />detailed descriptions given in Section 2.05.3 under the heading of Overburden. <br />Currently, a Bucyrus -Erie 1300W dragline and a Marion 8050 dragline are used for overburden <br />removal over the lower coal seams <br />Rule 2 Permits 2.05-2 Revision Date: 5/25/18 <br />Revision No.: RN -07 <br />