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site includes the reclaimed surface mining pits, reclaimed auger mining areas, and mine-related <br />structures and facilities. Mining occurred in two pits, the Wadge and Wolf Creek. The Wadge pit <br />mined the Wadge coal seam to depths of 100 feet. The Wadge pit was oriented northwest to <br />southeast, and progressed in a northeast direction. The Wolf Creek pit recovered the Wolf Creek <br />seam to depths of 140 feet. This pit was oriented northeast to southwest, and progressed in a <br />southeast direction. Production rates prior to this permit term were at 600,000 tons per yeaz. The <br />650 dragline was moved from the Seneca II Mine to the Yoast Mine in the fall of 1996. All mining <br />has ceased at the Seneca II Mine, only reclamation activities are ongoing at the site. The final area <br />mined was the Wadge East Area pit. Coal removal was completed at this location in August, 1999. <br />Production will continue at the Seneca II-W and Yoast Mines. <br />Three auger areas were mined at the Seneca II Mine. These areas are designated as Area B, D, and E <br />and aze shown on Exhibit 12-1A. Auger Area B, located in the W 1/2 of Section 2, TSN, R87W, <br />began in June 1984 and was completed in January 1985. Auger Area D along the west side of the <br />Wolf Creek Pit commenced in December 1983, temporarily ceased operations in March 1984 and <br />then completed mining in January 1985. Auger Area E is located on the southern portion of <br />previously mined Wadge West pits. Auger mining of the final Wadge pit highwall occurred from <br />October 1983 to January 1985, again in Mazch and April 1985, and in 1987. The highwall was <br />initially retained as a portal faceup for future recovery of the Cow Camp underground reserves. <br />Seneca Coal Company abandoned plans for using the Auger Area E as a portal location, and <br />reclamation has been completed. <br />Area strip mining techniques used at the mine included vegetation removal, topsoil stripping, <br />fragmentation and removal ofoverburden, fragmentation and removal ofcoal, spoils grading, topsoil <br />replacement and revegetation. <br />Vegetation removal was limited to large woody plants which would interfere with topsoil removal. <br />Trees and shrubs aze brushed and backfilled in previously mined pits or placed as brush pile habitat <br />on final graded spoil slopes. Lower stands of less woody vegetation are incorporated into topsoil, <br />increasing organic matter in the soils. <br />Topsoil salvage depths ranged from zero (in steep slope and rock outcrop areas) to 60 inches. <br />Salvaged topsoil was removed by scraper and bulldozer equipment and stockpiled. When conditions <br />permitted, topsoil was salvaged and immediately redistributed on graded spoils. <br />Overburden was fragmented with explosives. Bulldozers prepared benches to allow for drilling with <br />a rotary drill. Drill holes were loaded with ANFO (ammonium nitrate -fuel oil) or other approved <br />blasting agents. Fragmented overburden was removed by dragline and spoiled into the previous pit. <br />Coal was fragmented (primazily through the use of explosives) and removed from the pit. Hydraulic <br />shovels loaded haul trucks which transported raw coal from the pit directly to the Hayden Station <br />generation plant. Direct haul to the plant precluded coal preparation at the mine site. <br />Cast over spoils were graded to approximate original contour, and salvaged topsoil was <br />redistributed. Topsoil replacement depth is approximately one foot. Areas of topsoil redistribution <br />6 <br />