2006-06-02_PERMIT FILE - C1980007A ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: C1980007A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 6/2/2006
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2.05 Operation and Reclamation Plans
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

West Elk Mine
• being mined in Lease COC-56447; the B Seam will be mined in COC-67011; the B Seam has
and will be mined and the E Seam is planned to be mined in Lease C-1362.
MCC mined in the F Seam from 1982 to 1991 from Lease D-044569 and C-0117192. This
mining was only mazginally successful. Poor mine roof conditions, sandstone channels, thin
coal, poor coal quality, and other unfavorable conditions negatively affected mining and
rendered this seam uneconomic under past and present market conditions.
Approximately 180 feet below the F Seam horizon lies the E Seam. Mining plans for the E
Seam are presented on Map 51. Development of the E Seam is planned to commence in 2004,
with longwall mining projected for 2008.
Approximately 400 feet below F Seam and 200 feet below E Seam lies the B Seam. The
mineable B Seam contains some azeas of coal, particularly in Federal Leases C-0117192, COC-
54558, and COC-56447 where no mineable E Seam exists above the B Seam. As such, B Seam
mining in this area causes no issues for E Seam. Recovering the two economically viable
seams at West Elk Mine requires thorough evaluation of various mining scenarios. The
mineable azeas of the E and B Seams can be seen by comparing Map 13 (B Seam thickness) with
Map 18 (E Seam thickness). E and B Seam mine plans, maximizing the recovery of reserves, aze
shown on Maps 51 and 52, respectively.
MCC has assessed the recoverable coal reserves of the Federal coal leases contained in the E and
B Seams. MCC's 2004 Budget Plan includes 91.9 million tons of recoverable reserves in the
E and B Seams (Table 28).
Table 28
Estimate of Recoverable Coal Reserves at the West Elk Mine
Recoverable Reserves millions of tons
Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Lease Other
Seam COC-
56447 COC-54558 D-044569 C-0117192 C-1362 West Flat
Iron Fee Lease Total
B 22.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.3 3.0 27.7
E 0.2 0.0 .03 0.0 58.1 0.0 7.9 66.2
Total 22.6 0.0 .03 0,0 58.1 2.3 10.9 93.9
Note: Recoverable reserves are based on the 2004 Budget Pian with West Flat Iron LBA and without Dry Fork LBA .
The mine plan was laid out to recover as much coal as possible with consideration for personnel
and equipment safety and surface protection. The percent of recovery in the development (room
and pillar) sections is approximately 40-60 percent, more or less, depending upon pillaz design.
Longwall panel extraction methods increase that extraction ratio to 80-90 percent for the mining
height, which is planned at approximately 12.0 feet for the B Seam and 8.0 to 14.0 feet for the E
Seam. The overall recovery of the mine layout has not been calculated, because it varies
continuously with changes in mine plans.

2.05-4 Revised Nwem6er 2004 PRI l; Rev. March 2006