PERMFILE70504

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/4/2002
• Doc Name: Exploration Drill Pads AAA and BBB & Borehole 14-04
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 80 Drilling Activities - MR278 & MR279
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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DOC Dat v~oo ~j1 ~~~~~~ jj~ RECEI~/~D
.,
MAR 0 4 2002
~ MOrUNTt~AII~OAL Division of Minerals and Geology
~~ `Ol~~l ~~~~~.L.C. 1~~est Elk Mine
A Subxidrary of Arch Western Resources. LLC P.O. BOX $91
5174 Highwa~•133
i SomcrseC CO 81434
~ [phone]
Fax [phone]
August ] 0, 2001
Mr. James Burnell
Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology
Office of Mined Land Reclamation
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Re: Mountain Coal Company LLC (MCC), West Elk Mine; Permit No. C-80-007; Minor
Revision 278, Submittal of Adequacy Responses for Exploration Drill Pads AAA and BBB.
Deaz Mr. Burnell:
• As we discussed in our telephone conversation today, MCC is responding to the adequacy letter from
the Division dated, 20 July 2001. The Division requested that MCC provide information regarding the
depths, diameter of the holes, type of drilling and any other information regarding reclamation. First
these holes and drill pads (AAA and BBB) aze for exploration. The roads used to access the areas are
the same roads used for the Raven Gulch Exploration License and the current Gob Vent De-gas
Boreholes that were approved in MR-273 and MR-275. The pads and roads exist on the active coal
lease COC 56447 and no road is required for the drilling•of BBB as the pad adjoins the current access
road to 14-OS and RAV-l0. The exploration is necessary to address and characterize the potential for
methane in the B-Seam surrounding strata. Attached to this response are an anticipated schedule, a
typical drilling plan, and anticipated completion diagram for BBB. The diagrams are not yet completed
for the AAA hole, but it is expected the schedule, plan, and diagram, will be similar to the BBB
diagram.
The pads for exploration aze smaller in size (120' x 180'), and vzll require a smaller mud pit than the
large bore Gob Vent De-gas Boreholes. After drilling is completed it will be necessary for MCC to
assess the hole to determine if the hole will be left open for a future Gob Vent De-gas Borehole. This
would allow future access without disturbing the site. The area will be reclaimed and graded to
approximate original contour, topsoiled, seeded, fertilized, and mulched. If the hole needs to be
accessed a small two-track road would be constructed to access or to abandon the hole. The roads will
be reclaimed to approximate original contour, seeded, fertilized, and mulched and ]efr in a smal) two-
• track configuration to facilitate the need, if required by MCC, for future access to the mining districts
to the north (Panel Nos. 18 - 24).