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to be mined would be redisturbed in the future to recover deeper seams. PR-03, approved in May
<br />2003, presented detailed information and mining plans to allow recovery of the Sage Creek and Wolf •
<br />Creek coal seams, which are located stratigraphically below the Wedge seam (See Exhibit 6-181.
<br />Operation Description -General
<br />The mining plan for Seneca II-W was developed in conjunction with the Seneca II and Yoast mining
<br />plans and is based on standard mining practices, feasibility studies, and balancing production between
<br />both mines. As shown on Exhibits 12-2 and 12-3, the mining reserves at the Seneca II-W Mine lie in
<br />three distinct areas within the permit boundary. These areas will be mined from cropline to the 100 foot
<br />recovery line. The Wedge Coal seam generally crops at the ridge top on the east side of the permit
<br />boundary, an exception to this is the internal cropline upstream of Pond 006 and in the southern most
<br />mining block.
<br />A box cut is normally initiated in a location where overburden depth is minimal. This allows the
<br />dragline sufficient room to spoil the overburden adjacent to the box cut and also reduces the volume of
<br />material that will require rehandle when the mining progression changes direction.
<br />Mining will have to be conducted concurrently in two or more pits over much of the mine life. This is
<br />necessitated by fairly short, deep pits preventing drilling, shooting, overburden removal and coal
<br />removal operations to proceed in a single pit in a timely manner. The dragline will move between pits
<br />as needed to facilitate concurrent operations. Some final pits will accommodate additional coal •
<br />recovery by auger and/or highwall miner operations.
<br />Operation Description -Permit Area
<br />The proposed Seneca II-W permit area, which includes the life-of-operations area, is located in portions
<br />of Sections 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 34, and 35, TSN, R88W.-Exhibits 12-2, 12-3,
<br />12-3a, and 12-36, Operations Plan, illustrates the proposed permit area as well as the projected areas
<br />from which coal will be removed. Exhibits 19-1 and 19-1 A, Backfilling and Grading Schedule,
<br />illustrates the anticipated sequence of reclamation operations throughout the life-of-operations.
<br />Mining operations will be conducted for recovery of the Wedge seam in the SE Y. Section 10, SW Y.
<br />Section 14, E Yz Section 15, N Y: Section 22, Section 23, W Y: Section 26, W Y: Section 35, and N Y:
<br />Section 34, 75N, RSSW. Sage Creek/Wolf Creek seams will also be mined portions of Section 22, 23,
<br />27, 34 and 35. There are no plans for recovery of the Lennox seam in the permit area.
<br />Lower Block. In accordance with the Operations Plan, Exhibit 12-2, a box cut was opened in August
<br />1990 near the center of the mining block INEYz of Section 221. The dragline proceeded from the
<br />erection site to the box cut area by way of Road F. Road F was constructed of sufficient width to
<br />allow the dragline to deadhead to the box cut pit area. The orientation of the box cut is roughly •
<br />perpendicular to the strike of the surface slope. Succeeding cuts were approximately parallel to the
<br />TR-50 6 Revised 04/05
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