ENFORCE30898

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Enforcement
• Doc Date: 11/26/1997
• Doc Name: NOV CV-97-022 WEST ELK MINE PN C-80-007
• From: DMG
• To: MOUNTAIN COAL CO
• Violation No.: CV1997022
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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STATE OF COLO~~,~~
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Drp.uonenl of Namr.l Resources
111 1 tihcnnan 51.. Room Z I S `d

Denver, Colorado HU?U} I
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Phunc: (.}U}I HOb~ 4567 II
FAX: I}U}I H}_r-HIUb
DEPARTMEfYT OF
NATURAL
RESOURCES
November 26
1997 koy Romer
, Governor
Inmes S. Lochhead
Mr. Phil Schmidt Etecwive Director
Mountain Coal Company M¢hael B Long;

P.O. Box 59l Division Duec~or
Somerset, CO 81434
Re: NOV CV-97-022, West Elk Mine, Permit No. C-80-007
Dear Mr. Schmidt:
The attached Notice of Violation No. CV-97-022 is being issued to Mountain Coal Company (MCC)
due to the probable discharge of mine water from the West Elk Mine, now occurring outside the West
Elk Mine permit area, and the associated landslide now occurring at the location between the Bear No.
3 Mine reclaimed portals and the azea south of the entrance bridge to the Bear No. 3 Mine. The
landslide and probable discharge of mine water were reported to the Colorado Division of Minerals and
Geology (CDMG) by Bear Coal Company and the area was inspected by CDMG on November 20,
1997. The CDMG inspection report issued following the November 20, 1997 Bear Coal Mine
inspection is included for your records.
The CDMG is proceeding with this enforcement action due to the high probability that the waters now
discharging from the approximate location of the reclaimed Edwards Mine B Seam portal, originate
from the unapproved storage of mine water in the azea of the West Elk Mine, referred to by MCC as
the "Northwest Panels Sealed Sump". This enforcement action is taken with full consideration of
available geologic, hydrologic and mine plan information. The location, discharge rate, quality and
temperature of the newly expressed discharge at the Bear Mine, correlate with location and quantity
projections provided by MCC (Technical Revision No. 80 application) regarding down gradient
discharge of mine water and known water quality and temperature parameters of mine waters being
sumped in the West Elk Mine. The new landslide appears to be directly associated with the new water
source, emanating from the approximate location of the Edwards Mine B Seam Portal.
The CDMG is concerned that the landslide is a public health and safety hazard due to its proximity to
the Bear Coal Company mine, the North Fork of the Gunnison River, and the town of Somerset.
Portions of the landslide have already fallen into the river, and the slide has the potential to significantly
and adversely impact the hydrologic regime of the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The slide has
already adversely impacted the Bear Mine area. In addition, the probable discharge of West Elk mine
waters outside of the Mountain Coal Company permit area without discharge authority or approval, and