|
West Elk Mine
<br />. • cache Rocks Permit Revision Area -This is the area that is designated on Map 1 A, and is
<br />also shown on Map 1 in Exhibit 60. The Apache Rocks Pemmt Revision Area included
<br />some of the Box Canyon lease area and azeas to the south of the permit boundary (in
<br />Sections 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30), in the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek drainage basin.
<br />• Apache Rocks Mining Area -The Apache Rocks mining azea encompasses all of the
<br />longwall mining panels in Sections 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30, T13S, R90W, 6~' P.M. See also
<br />Map 52.
<br />• cache Rocks Mining Area, East and West Panels -The Apache Rocks west panels refer to
<br />the three western panels in the Apache Rocks mining area which are located in Sections
<br />28, 29, and 30, T13S, R90W, 6th P.M. Both B and E-Seam longwall mining are planned
<br />in this azea. The Apache Rocks east panels refer to the four eastern panels in the Apache
<br />Rocks mining azea (longwall panels 14SE through 17SE)•which aze located in Sections 26
<br />and 27, and a portion of Section 35 T13S, R90W, 6th' P.M. Only B-Seam mining is
<br />planned in this area.
<br />• Box Canyon Permit Revision Mining Area -This area is designated on Map lA and
<br />includes longwall panels 18NE through 23NE located in portions of Sections 10, 11, 13,
<br />14, 15, 22, 23, and 24 T13S, R90W, 6~' P.M. The Box Canyon permit revision azea
<br />encompasses the remainder of the Box Canyon lease tract. Only B-Seam mining is
<br />planned in this area.
<br />• • West Flatiron Permit Revision Mining Area - This azea is designated on Map lA and
<br />includes extensions of lon~wall panels 18A, 18, 19, 20, and 21, located in Sections 12, 13,
<br />and 24 in T13S, R90W, 6 PM. Only B Seam mining is planned in this azea.
<br />MCC has made a major commitment to thoroughly understanding and describing the nature of
<br />subsidence that will occur in the Apache Rocks and Box Canyon mining azeas. Specifically, MCC
<br />has retained Wright Water Engineers, Ina (WWE) of Denver to evaluate subsidence and probable
<br />hydrologic consequences. WWE worked closely with Mr. C. Richazd Dunmd and Mr. John Rold
<br />on this project, and both have played a key role with WWE on the. Apache Rocks and Box Canyon
<br />pernvt revisions. Mr. Dunrud was employed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) throughout his
<br />cazeer and is a recognized authority on subsidence. Of particular note with respect to the Apache
<br />Rocks and Box Canyon permit revision document, is the report prepazed by Mr. Dunrud entitled,
<br />Some Engineering Factors Controlling Coal Mine Subsidence in Utah and Colorado (Dunmd
<br />1976). In that report, Mr. Dunrud evaluated subsidence in the Mesaverde Formation at the
<br />Somerset Mine, less than two miles from the Box Canyon lease tract. Mr. John Rold was
<br />previously the Colorado State Geologist, a position he held for over 25 years. Mr. Rold is
<br />recognized as an authority on geologic hazazds and he is quite familiaz with geologic issues in the
<br />vicinity of the West Elk Mine.
<br />Working closely with Messrs. Rold and Dunmd, WWE has adopted the following multi-faceted
<br />approach to quantifying subsidence in the permit area:
<br />
<br />2.05-99 Revised Jun. 1995 PR06; IN6 RN03; Revised May 19997'R89; Revised Jan 1998 PR08; March 1005 PR11 Gb7
<br />~~1
<br />
|