|
Detailed information on the Mine Operations Plan is found in Section 2.05.3 (Volume 1 for the
<br /> East Pit, West Pit, Section 16 Pit, Facilities Area and Gossard Loadout; Volume 12 for South
<br /> Taylor Pit; Volume 15 for Collom Pit) of the PAP. Performance standards associated with mining
<br /> operations are found in Section 4 (Volume 1 for the East Pit, West Pit, Section 16 Pit, Facilities
<br /> Area and Gossard Loadout; Volume 12 for South Taylor Pit; Volume 15 for Collom Pit) of the
<br /> PAP.
<br /> The Colowyo Coal Mine is a strip mine and consists of five pits (East Pit, West Pit, Section 16 Pit,
<br /> South Taylor Pit, and Collom Pit) operating within 26,130.74 permitted acres. Mining operations
<br /> have ceased in the East Pit and West Pit, and only reclamation of the final cut in the West Pit
<br /> remains. All of the East Pit has been regraded, topsoiled and reseeded. Current mining operations
<br /> are in the South Taylor Pit and these operations will continue in the future per the mine plan.
<br /> Colowyo has begun construction on support facilities associated with the Collom Pit, but no coal
<br /> extraction has occurred within the Collom Pit. All disturbance activities are limited to the
<br /> information provided in Exhibit 13C of the PAP.
<br /> Mining operations began in 1976 with the Section 11 Pit, a multiseam coal operation that continued
<br /> to move in a southerly direction, extending and expanding into what is known as the East Pit.
<br /> Eight coal seams (Y, X, A, B, C, D, E, F) were mined from the East Pit, ranging in thickness from
<br /> two to fifteen feet. The East Pit is nearly 6,000 feet from east to west (width), 1,000 feet in breadth
<br /> (highwall to highwall), and 450 feet deep. Due to the number of coal seams, immense size of the
<br /> pit, and manpower and equipment employed, pit progression was slow, with additional
<br /> disturbances of approximately 40 to 50 acres per year. The East Pit reached a steady state where
<br /> acreage disturbed approximately equaled acreage reclaimed in any given year. However,
<br /> reclamation of the East Pit disturbed areas was modified with the placement of the West Pit
<br /> development excess spoil. Extraction of coal from the East Pit was terminated in 2006. Currently,
<br /> all reclamation activities have been completed in the East Pit. In the multiseam West Pit, Colowyo
<br /> has utilized the same methods of operation as those of the East Pit and the same seams were mined.
<br /> The West Pit is approximately the same size as the East Pit and mining in the West Pit advanced
<br /> from north to south. Currently, only reclamation of the final cut in the West Pit remains.
<br /> The Section 16 Pit is located south of the East and West Pits. Mining in the majority of the Section
<br /> 16 Pit was completed between 1993 and 2002. A 44-acre extension of the Section 16 Pit (referred
<br /> to as the X-Pod area) was permitted through TR-65 (approved on June 29, 2007). The X-Pod area
<br /> was mined from 2007-2010. The northern boundary of the Section 16 Pit merged with the East Pit
<br /> and the West Pit. Mining of the Section 16 Pit was of the "X" coal seam only. Mining was from
<br /> east to west, but was reoriented from north to south for the final strip in the area. To the south, in
<br /> the X-Pod area,the Section 16 Pit merged with the South Taylor Pit.
<br /> With the approval of PR-02, Colowyo permitted the South Taylor Pit. The South Taylor Pit is a
<br /> multi-seam operation that is approved to mine up to 17 coal seams and seam-complexes. The
<br /> seams that are mined in the South Taylor Pit are A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The seams range in
<br /> thickness from 2.5 feet to 17 feet and the overburden and interburden range in thickness from 2 feet
<br /> to 65 feet. The East Taylor Fill is permitted for 19.8 million cubic yards of permanent excess
<br /> spoil from this pit. Additionally, Colowyo has permitted the West Taylor Fill for an additional 27.6
<br /> million cubic yards of permanent excess spoil. The Division has approved a variance from
<br /> 20
<br /> Permit Revision No.5(PR-05),G 1981-019
<br />
|