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• Mine is abandoned, no construction of underground retaining walls <br />will be necessary for placement of the refuse fines material. The <br />operation is not anticipated to change the existing condition of <br />the mine and will not have an affect on the surface area supported <br />by the mine or surface effects following the backfilling. <br />The source of hydraulic transport medium for the slurry <br />will be the makeup water pumped to the Prep Plant which will be <br />obtained from the existing mine pool in the underground workings. <br />Probing the clean water recycling hole (NEW-4) has indicated that <br />the existing water level is at 350 feet below the surface and that <br />approximately 50 feet of water is available in that area of the <br />mine pool for return to the prep plant. Initial makeup water will <br />be the water already in the Prep Plant obtained from the Purgatoire <br />River from Basin's existing water rights. The method to be used to <br />dewater the refuse fines is to pump the water back to the prep <br />plant from NEW-4. <br />Hydrologic impacts and monitoring are described under Section <br />2.05.6. <br />2.05.4 Reclamation Plan <br />(a) Timetable <br />Reclamation of disturbed areas will be completed at the <br />• end of operations at the New Elk and Golden Eagle Mines. There are <br />approximately 100 million tons of reserves between these mines. <br />Based on estimated production levels, current facilities will <br />remain in place for 50 years. Basin will continue to haul coal <br />from the Golden Eagle Mine to the New Elk Mine for washing and <br />processing. As such, facilities currently at the New Elk Mine are <br />an integral part of Golden Eagle operations. These facilities <br />include the roads, buildings, refuse disposal area and all <br />structures associated with coal handling. Facilities which may be <br />reclaimed prior to total reclamation of the site may include the <br />West Portal Area, ventilation shafts and fans and portals. Basin <br />will begin reclamation of all unnecessary facilities at the New Elk <br />Mine when mining operations are permanently closed. The exact <br />timetable for reclamation activities is dependent on coal <br />production and marketing which is impossible to predict at this <br />time. <br />2.05-44 (a) (NE) (Revised 02/8/95) <br />~2,~1 <br />~~9Y <br />