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2-2 <br />The initial permitting of this facility was as a Test Site to explore and evaluate the <br />Federal lease block for coal characteristics and mining conditions. Exploration of the <br />mine area will be an ongoing process. Most of the land in the permit area is too steep <br />to allow access with conventional drilling rigs. Because of this fact, the operator limited <br />its exploration program to the development of "exploration entries" and continuing its <br />surface geology research. This method has been used to help define the extent and <br />location of the graben that was mined during previous years. No surface borings or drill <br />hole programs are planned_within the permit area of McClave Canyon. If there is a <br />need for surface drilling within the permit area, the hole(s) will be managed in <br />accordance with Section 4.07, Rules and Regulations of the Colorado Mined Land <br />Reclamation Board and 30 CFR 211. <br />2.1.1 Type of Mine <br />Mining of the coal has been by the room and pillar mining method. As the coal is <br />• extracted, it is transported underground to a conveyor for removal to the surface. Coal <br />is carried by this conveyor to the surface area of the mine. Here the coal is stockpiled <br />or sized in a crusher and then placed in the stockpile, see Figure 2.2-2. The coal is <br />then loaded into on-highway trucks or into a bin and weighing system that also loads <br />the trucks. <br />Transportation of coal from the site is by on-highway trucks. The coal can be <br />shipped directly to the customer or trucked to Powderhorn Coal Company's unit train <br />loadout for shipments by rail. The operation also allows for pick up at the site by the <br />intended consumer. <br />Future mining is also envisioned to utilize room and pillar methods. As <br />knowledge of the geology of the reserves is refined, it may be possible that areas can <br />be profitably mined with other methods. Changing the method of mining will not have a <br />significant effect on the disturbance associated with mining in this permit area. <br />• <br />M`Clane Volume 1 7101 <br />