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The Blue Flame Coal Mine proposes to permit 53 acres of which only 4.1 acres <br />will be disturbed by the mine bench and access roads. Surface facilities for <br />the operation consist of a shaker conveyor with connected hopper and storage <br />bins, a storage shed, a ventilation fan house, a 500 gallon portable water <br />tank, and a drainage control system. There are two roads leading to this site <br />that will function as combination access/haul roads: a northwest road and a <br />northeast road. The northwest road leads directly from La Plata County Road <br />120 across Hay Gulch to the mine bench area. The northeast road leads from <br />the National King Coal, Inc, access/haul road to the mine bench area. <br />Coal removal operations will occur in the "Pueblo" coal seam of the Upper <br />Menefee Formation with an anticipated annual production of 13,200 tons and a <br />total five-year permit term production anticipated at 66,000 tons. No mining <br />operations will occur in any of the old underground mine workinos. Panel <br />development will occur from the mine access in a westerly direction. <br />Coal will be mined utilizing conventional mining methods. The coal will first <br />be cut using a cutting machine, drilled, blasted, and loaded onto a shuttle <br />car for transportation to the surface. At the surface, the coal will be sized <br />by the shaker and stored in the various hoppers and bins for loading local <br />home users. <br />After mining, the entries will be sealed and the facilities area will be <br />backfilled and graded to approximate original contour, All outslopes will be <br />stabilized and all highwalls will be eliminated during backfill and grading <br />operations. Following final backfilling and grading operations, the area will <br />be covered with topsoil. The redistributed medium will be fertilized, seeded, <br />and mulched. The proposed final land use will be cattle grazing and wildlife <br />habitat. <br />-5- <br />