Laserfiche WebLink
• Mine is abandoned, no construction of underground retaining walls wilt be necessary for <br />placement of the fine refuse material. The operation is not anticipated to change the existing <br />condition of the mine and will not have an effect on the surface area supported by the mine or <br />surface effects following the backfilling. <br />The source of hydraulic transport medium for the slurry will be the makeup water pumped to the <br />prep plant which will be obtained from the existing mine pool in the underground workings. <br />Probing the clean water recycling hole (ANEW-4) has indicated that approximately 50 feet of <br />water is available in that area of the mine pool for return to the prep plant. Initial makeup water <br />will be the water already in the Prep Plant obtained from the Purgatoire River from Basin's <br />existing water rights. The method to be used to dewater the refuse fines is to pump the water <br />back to the Prep Plant from New11. <br />Hydrologic impacts and monitoring are described under Section 2.05.6. <br />2.05.4 Reclamation Plan <br />(a) Timetable <br />Operations at the New Elk Coal Processing facility are dependent upon receiving coal from <br />nearby mines for processing and shipment The Golden Eagle and Lorencito Surface mines are <br />now in varying stages of final reclamation and no longer are a source of coal for processing and <br />shipment. It is unlmown at this time if market conditions wiA justify opening an underground <br />mine at the I.orencito Reserve Base. Opening an underground mining complex at Lorencito will <br />• require the reinstallation of the rail line from Jansen as well as a prep plant and loadout facility. <br />The economics of a new facility at Lotencito vs. reopening the New EUc Complex will need to <br />be evaluated if the decision is made to develop the Lorencito reserve. Thus, the exact timetable <br />for reclamation activities is dependent on coal production and marketing which is impossible to <br />predict at this time. <br />Pending that decision, many of the facilities at the New Elk are obsolete and will be reclaimed <br />during this permit term. These include aA of the West Portal area, the East Portal fan house, oil <br />building, and coal stockpile areas #2 and #3. Also of immediate importance is the RDA. <br />The RDA is the only facility at the New Elk requiring contemporaneous reclamation as <br />respective benches are completed. Seeding and mulching is required by the first planting season <br />after bench completion and topsoiling. An alternative final reclamation plan will be developed <br />aad submitted as a technical revision for final reclamation of the RDA at its existing state of <br />developmeat Drainage on the current upper beach (approximately 20 acres), will be designed <br />to dn+ect drainage away from the front slope and toward the back and side perimeter ditches, <br />eventually channeling the water to the armored down-drains and to pond 8. Slopes will be <br />minimized while positive drainage will be maintained. This will significantly reduce erosion <br />and sediment accumulation in Pond 8 while preparing the RDA for final cover and topsoil if the <br />decision is made not to reopen the preparation plant <br />A listing of all facilities and shvctures to be ultimately removed at the New Elk Mine can be <br />found in Exhibit 28, Bond Calculations. Picketwire Processing plans to salvage all iron and <br />• <br />TR-48 Page 2.05~14ct. (R.evised 3!9/Ot7 <br />