INSPEC33704

• Permit No: C1981019
• IBM Index Class Name: Inspection
• Doc Name: Inspection Report
• Inspection Date: 8/22/2007
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Colowyo C-1981-019
22 August 2007
Pg 6/7
Topsoil (cont.) -The operator, through the contractor the Bower Brothers, has been
moving 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. As in the past few years, they are leaving very
small topsoil islands so it is easy to gauge the depth of topsoil removed and to see
that all of the available topsoil has been removed. The roads were all well
maintained and well watered to limit the amount of fugitive dust to the extent
possible. There are two small areas that Colowyo is requesting as exemption areas
for topsoil removal. Both exemption areas are very steep and rocky and they drop-
off at the highwall area from the highwall miner that was operating in the drainage.
The area on the west side of the drainage is approximately 5 acres and the area on
the east side of the drainage is approximately two acres. **See pictures at the end
of this report.
- There are still the piles of topsoil that were hauled to the East pit that were to be
spread last year. These piles are currently being spread on the areas of the East Pit
that are currently to grade. Additionally, Colowyo is using a topsoil stockpile that is in
the middle of the East Pit reclamation. 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). **See pictures at the end of this report.
General Mine Plan Compliance: -The 101 dragline is on the East Pit highwall
performing reclamation with a Dl 1 dozer.
- The penant lines on the 102 dragline were replaced and it was currently working on
removing D-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 removing overburden on the E-Seam.
-The 1 14 shovel operation was currently working on removing the A-Seam
overburden.
-The operator was removing and hauling D-Seam coal at the time of the inspection.
-The operator was dumping overburden in the mid-pit area of the West Pit.
-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 Db dozer to knock over the
trees and they are loading them into incinerators with a CAT 321 excavator with a
claw attachment. The incinerators are the size of a dumpster and they force air onto
the burning trees, providing oxygen for a 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. **See pictures at the end of this report.