INSPEC23651

• Permit No: C1981019
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 9/19/2007
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Colowyo C-1981-019
27 September 2007
Pg 6/7
Topsoil (cont.) -The operator, through the contractor the Bower Brothers, has been
removing topsoil in the Taylor Creek drainage in what appears to be the area of the
East Taylor Fill. The topsoil is being stockpiled in the pile above the East Pit highwall.
This is at least the third consecutive year that Bower has removed topsoil at the
Colowyo Mine. As in the past, Bower is pushing the topsoil into windrows with a D10
dozer and loading 8-10 CAT 773 haul trucks with one or two CAT 385 excavators. The
operation was progressing nicely. Colowyo has not requested that any additional
areas be considered for exemption from topsoil salvage besides the two that have
been discussed in prior inspection reports.
-The operator has finished spreading the piles of topsoil that were hauled to the East
pit that were to be spread last year. Additionally, Colowyo is using a topsoil stockpile
that is in the middle of the East Pit reclamation. Colowyo has, to date, completed
almost 80 acres of topsoil replacement in the East Pit. Colowyo has hired a
contractor to seed the areas of the East Pit where topsoil has been replaced in
October. Currently, based on the changes made to the permit through Technical
Revision 62, approved on 29 May 2006, Colowyo is replacing approximately eight
inches of topsoil (as opposed to the previously approved cover of 18 inches).
General Mine Plan Compliance: -The 101 dragline is on the East Pit highwall
performing reclamation.
-The 102 dragline was working on removing E-Seam overburden in the West Pit. The
current plan is for the 102 to perform reclamation in the West Pit as it is cycled out of
the pit and would normally be sitting idle. This is a great plan that will get the
reclamation in the West Pit completed faster than anticipated.
-The 103 dragline was also removing overburden on the E-Seam.
-The 1 14 shovel operation was currently working on removing the X-Seam
overburden.
-The operator was removing and hauling X-Seam coal at the time of the inspection.
-The operator was drilling and loading explosives in the B-Seam overburden for a
shot.
-The operator was dumping overburden in the final pit area of the East Pit in an effort
to finish the East Pit reclamation.
-The operator has a contractor (Krule) working in the West Taylor drainage, around
the location of the West Taylor fill. Krule is removing and burning the trees in advance
of the topsoil stripping operations. They are using a CAT D6 dozer to knock over the
trees and they are loading them into incinerators with a CAT 321 excavator with a
claw attachment and a logging skidster. The incinerators are the size of a dumpster
and they force air onto the burning trees, providing oxygen for q complete burn.
There is very little smoke once the process begins. Prior to lighting the incinerators, the
contractor is removing the topsoil and digging a narrow trench for the ashes.
Currently Krule has four incinerators on site and is on schedule. There were no
problems noted with the Krule operation at the time of the inspection.