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Section 785.20 (c) Continued. The 7400 dragline operation will advance up-dip toward outcrop but will not reach the outcrop because of restrictions dictated by topography which is a ridge crest. The outcrop is located on the opposite side of ridge crest from the dragline operation. The auger will penetrate up-dip toward the coal quality limit and/or outcrop. The Wadge Seam in this area is dipping at 8° and aver- ages 10' in thickness. Due to the dip of the seam, the expected penetration is approximately 100' drilling up-dip. Figure 45, Auger Ptining Drilling Pattern demonstrates the drilling pattern to be used in the up-dip penetration, which will be an over-under pattern. An approximate 2' pillar will be left between the vertical lines of holes to prevent squeezing of the augers in adjacent lines. The area designated on the Ptine Plan for augering is approximately 4200' in length and approximately 100' in width. • The area of coal which would be left with no augering would be 4200' in length and 150' to 450' in width containing approximately 400,000 tons. Having a maximum width of 450' and a minimum width of 150', the area is too narrow for any underground operations. Thus, coal reserves and access to these reserves is sufficiently limited upon the completion of surface mining and prior to initiation of the augering proposed here that it would not be practicable to recover the remaining reserves. On the other hand, augering in the pattern proposed by Energy Fuels would recover approximately 70,000 additional tons that would otherwise be lost. Insofar as it does not interfere with coal hauling, backfilling will occur as contemporaneously as possible. In any event, the backfilling and plugging of auger holes will be done within 30 days following completion. The backfill material used to plug the auger • holes and fill the final pit will consist of the final spoil ridge 785-26