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permit revision area aze likely to be minimal or non-existent under even the most conservative <br />~ assumptions. <br />Water and Methane <br />Observations of the north and west flanks of Mt. Gunnison during an October 1996 field trip, <br />revealed numerous talus and rock glacier deposits that occur in the valleys and lower part of this <br />intrusive body. Snow melt and rain can easily infiltrate these deposits, which may eventually enter <br />any permeable rocks, faults, fractures, and joints near the mountain. Coal beds and rocks in the <br />deformed zone around Mt. Gunnison might also contain increased methane where the coal is <br />metamorphosed to a higher rank by the intrusive body. Great quantities of water and methane may <br />therefore be expected as coal is mined closer to Mt. Gunnison. <br />Water and Methane in the Oliver No. 2 Mine <br />Because lazge quantities of water and methane were encountered while mining the E/DO-Seam in <br />the Oliver No. 2 Mine, other sources may also be present in the Box Canyon mining azea. In the <br />report on the closure of the Oliver No. 2 Mine, lazge volumes of water and methane began to flow <br />from fractures in the floor of the southernmost (top) entry of 6s' East. The mine was evacuated and <br />closed because the water and methane flowed in quantities too costly to control. This azea where <br />the lazge outpouring of water and methane occurred is located about 300 feet south of entries of the <br />• South Mains that were not driven further, appazently because of roof control problems. <br />Water and methane intrusions were also common at least three years before the mine closure. In a <br />letter to the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on January 25, 1950, the president <br />of Calumet Fuel Company described the following conditions in the Oliver No. 2 Mine <br />(unpublished letter written to BLM Duector Marion Clawson by Claude P. Heiner, January 25, <br />1950): <br />In October 1949, water seeped into the 3rd West entries from Sylvester Gulch, as the entries <br />were driven beneath the gulch. The water softened the entry floors and caused the roof to <br />swell and cave. Mining was halted because of mining problems (it became impossible to <br />operate the mobile loaders and shuttle cars) and to protect the miners. <br />2. About this time, the south main, consisting of four entries, was driven southwazd in an <br />attempt to turn another set of entries either east or west. Sudden, lazge outflows of water <br />and methane were encountered in the development entries. 'The volumes were large enough <br />to force the company to remove the mobile loaders and shuttle cazs and replace them with <br />shaker conveyors in order to continue development. , <br />Water and Methane Draina¢e After Oliver No. 2 Mine Closure <br />Seals, consisting of a double row of cinder blocks, were installed 75 to 150 feet north of the <br />northern entry of 1 ~ West entries of the Oliver No. 2 Mine in December, 1953 (Boyd Emmons, oral <br />~, communication, November 6, 1996). They were installed to seal off the water and methane coming <br />2.05-127 March 1005PRI1 <br />~ iy,o5 <br />