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~~ • i <br />INTRODUCTION <br />West Elk Coal Company (WECC) operates the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 underground coal <br />mine, which is located approximately 1 mire east of the town of Somerset on <br />Colorado State Highway No. 133. The mine portal facilities are located on the <br />South side of the North Fork of the Gunnison River at an elevation of 6,450 <br />feet. The eastern and western extremities of the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine <br />permit area are bounded closely by Sylvester Gulch and Gribble Gulch, <br />respectively, and the northern extremity of the permit area is bounded by the <br />-North Fork of the Gunnison River. The southern boundary of the permit area <br />ranges from approximately one mile to a quarter mile north of the Dry Fork of <br />Minnesota Creek. The general area in which the mine is located is <br />characterized by a semi-arid environment of steeply sloping mountains covered <br />primarily with tall shrub vegetation,. particularly oakbrush and serviceberry. <br />The area is currently used for grazing by domestic livestock (cattle and <br />sheep) and wildlife (deer and elk). Recreational activities such as big game <br />hunting also occur here. The Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Kline permit area is drained <br />by the North Fork of the Gunnison River, which is part of the Colorado River <br />drainage basin. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent on the permit area, and <br />elevations range from about 5,900 feet at Somerset to approximately 8,000 feet <br />at the southern extremity of the permit area. <br />The general direction of mining is southward to extract coal from the F-Seam. <br />The coal moves via conveyor belts from portal to breaker to silo, then across <br />the river to a railroad loadout station where it is loaded onto trains for <br />shipment to market. The ultimate size for the Mt. Gunnison No 1 Mine is <br />approximately 2.8 million tons per year, and it is estimated by the operator <br />that the production buildup to this level is expected to cover a period of ten <br />years, contingent upon coal sales. Room and pillar mining methods are used in <br />the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine. <br />Permanent reclamation of the mine surface facilities site and other disturbed <br />areas will occur incrementally during the operation as suitable areas become <br />available. The estimated duration of the entire life of the mine operation is <br />approximately 40 years. <br />During reclamation, the mine portals will be sealed, surface facilities <br />removed, and the entire disturbed area will be returned to approximate <br />original contour. Waste piles will be shaped to blend into adjacent <br />topography and will be covered with four feet of suitable plant growth <br />medium. The mine area will then be smooth graded, and compacted areas will be <br />ripped or scarified to eliminate slippage surfaces, establishing a suitable <br />bond for the overlying seedbed material. Topsoil, which has been salvaged <br />during construction of the surface facilities, will be redistributed over the <br />disturbed area. Drainage control will be retained until the revegetation <br />operation is underway and erosion is under control. Following the <br />distribution of topsoil and final grading, the newly shaped surface will be <br />prepared for planting. Surface preparation will loosen and roughen the <br />surface by disking, harrowing, or dragging. Various conditioners and <br />neutralizers may be used to modify the seedbed conditions to ensure successful <br />establishment of a vegetative cover. <br />13 <br />