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delivered via conveyor either to the coal preparation plant for cleaning or, quality permitting, directly to <br />the 25,000-ton slot storage. <br />After processing in the preparation plant, the clean coal is transported by conveyor to the 25,000-ton <br />slot storage facility to await shipment to the power plant. A sampling system and scale are provided <br />between the preparation plant and the slot storage. <br />I.B.2 Coal Preparation Plant The preparation plant processes the ROM or raw coal through a <br />mechanical gravity separation process. A fine coal froth floatation circuit is available to increase <br />recovery of fine coal and decrease the amount of refuse to be disposed of. After the clean coal is <br />separated from the refuse it is mechanically dewatered by vibrating-screen type centrifuges, classifying <br />cyclones, and cross-flow screens. After the coal surface moisture is reduced to 5-7 percent, the clean <br />coal is placed on a conveyorthat delivers it to the slot storage. <br />The refuse circuit employs a static thickener and disk filters to dewater the smaller material before it is <br />placed in the refuse bin with the larger refuse. The thickener water is disposed in the sealed 1st <br />longwall district of the D-Seam mine. <br />The preparation plant equipment is enclosed in swell-insulated structure. This, combined with the use <br />of a wet process to clean the coal, eliminates any possible dust emissions. All necessary transfer <br />points between conveyors are also enclosed to reduce dust. All conveyors are partially covered or <br />totally enclosed. <br />1.B.3 Refuse Disposal The preparation plant is expected to produce approximately 700,000 tons per <br />year of coal processing waste at full production. This annual tonnage includes mining dilution that <br />results from mining parting, roof and floor material with the coal. <br />The coal processing waste (refuse) is transported to the refuse disposal area by 35 to 100-ton <br />end-dump trucks. Since the refuse is high in moisture, it is allowed to dry and is then spread in layers <br />of about 2 feet and compacted. This layering process continues until the maximum fill height is <br />achieved. <br />The landfill operation will progress simultaneously in more than one pile in order to allow adequate <br />time for drying and spreading. Before the operation begins, all available topsoil is removed and <br />stockpiled. This topsoil will be replaced after the maximum fill depth has been achieved and then <br />revegetated. <br />Rio Blanco County Special Use Permit#81-1 <br />Exhibit B -Mining Plan <br />september2000 <br />16 <br />