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Introduction <br />SCC proposes to drill two (2) exploration drill holes outside of the active Yoast mining area. The <br />purpose of these two holes is to verify/determine the presence and continuity of select coal seams <br />and to recover core samples for sampling and characterization. See Exhibit 6-4A, Exploration Drill <br />Hole Locaiion, for general locations and access. <br />Location <br />One hole would be located adjacent to Topsoil Stockpile K and within the currently approved <br />disturbance area. The purpose of this drill hole is for deterautting the presence and quality of Wolf <br />Creek coal. The second hole would be located outside the currently approved disturbance boundary: <br />to the west of the mining area and to the south of Sediment Pond 012. The purpose of this drill hole <br />would be to verify the continuity and quality of the Wadge coal seam prior to the proposed highwall <br />mining. Access to the drill hole pads will be via temporary drill access roads. <br />Construction <br />The exact alignments of the temporary access roads will be determined in the field and will be located <br />to minimi,e disturbance and to reduce removal of shrubs and trees. The roadway will be <br />approximately 15 feet wide with the topsoil windrowed along side the roadway or in extreme <br />situations stockpiled. The drill pad will be of irregulaz configuration with a surface azea of <br />approximately 0.5 acres to provide a level area for drilling operations and for temporary storage of <br />drilling equipment, supplies, drilling fluids, and drill cuttings. Drill pad constmction would involve <br />soil salvage, grading of the pad azea to create a level operating surface, construction of an earthen <br />berm on the pad perimeter to control surface runoff from the pad azea, and excavation of a mud pit <br />to contain drilling fluids during drilling operation. <br />Drillhole Abandonment <br />The exploration drill holes will be plugged, sealed, and abandoned consistent with apphcable DMG <br />permit requirements. Sealing and plugging would involve placement of cement from the hole bottom <br />to 50 feet above the uppermost coal seam. The remainder of the hole will be filled with cuttings to <br />within 5 feet of the surface. A 5-foot cement surface plug will be set and an appropriately labeled <br />monument marker cemented into the plug. <br />Reclamation <br />The drill pad and access would be reclaimed by draining, backfilling, and compacting the fill in the <br />mud pit; cleaning up and removing any trash, debris, and drilling materials and supplies; returning the <br />disturbed area to approximate original configuration; replacing salvaged topsoil material; and <br />revegetating the disturbed azea by broadcast seeding. <br />MR-17 6-4-1 Revised S/02 <br />