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Coal is mined underground in an updip direction, using room and pillar <br />techniques. The mine workings have already progressed to a point <br />approximately 2500 feet from the portal entries into the lower split of the <br />Cameo seam. The operation will produce approximately 149,000 tons of coal in <br />the first year, with an acceleration to 875,000 tons in the fifth year. The <br />total anticipated production for the mine is approximately 61,183,000 tons <br />over a thirty-year period. The mining operations for this first five-year <br />permit term will consist of the development of access ways through lease <br />blocks C-0125515 and C-0125516 in both the Cameo and Upper Carbonera seams. <br />The Upper Carbonera seam will be accessed by ramps driven up from the Cameo <br />workings. <br />Coal is mined at the exposed face by a continuous miner. The mined coal is <br />then shuttled to a conveyor within the mine which transports the coal to the <br />bench at the portal entries. The mine conveyors will then empty into a surge <br />bin to equalize outflow. Overland conveyors will transport coal from the <br />surge bin on the portal bench to the central facilities area located at the <br />mouth of Munger Canyon. Coal is then processed, stockpiled, and loaded onto <br />rail cars for direct shipment to market or onto haul trucks for shipment to <br />the existing Loma rail loadout. Use of the Loma Loadout will terminate upon <br />completion of the railroad spur to the central facilities area. Refuse <br />generated by the wash plant will be transported to the coal processing waste <br />disposal area by haul trucks. <br />The existing rail loadout is located near Loma, Colorado, along a railroad <br />siding. This facility also handles coal from the McClave Canyon Mine. The <br />total capacity of the stockpiles will be 8000 tons. <br />No topsoil was stripped prior to the development which has already occurred at <br />the mine. Construction of the central facilities area, coal processing waste <br />disposal area and interconnecting haul road and conveyor system will require <br />stripping of topsoil. Topsoil will be salvaged from future disturbances to <br />assist in reclamation of the existing disturbance after mining. <br />When mining ceases for this operation, the portals will be sealed and <br />backfilled. Temporary seals have been installed in the portals. Backfilling <br />of portals has not taken place. The bench area and central facilities area <br />will be graded and drainage will be reestablished. The disturbance will be <br />topsoiled, seeded and mulched to establish a vegetative cover of a variety <br />consistent with surrounding naturally occurring vegetation. <br />No topsoil was salvaged from the loadout site. This area is leased to Salt <br />Creek Mining Company by the D&RGW Railroad. This facility previously served <br />as a sugar beet loadout area and is zoned industrial. The land use upon the <br />cessation of its use as a coal loadout will be industrial. The site will be <br />cleared of all coal materials and of all structures which the present owner <br />wishes removed. The coal materials removed from the loadout site will be <br />backfilled in the mine portal area. <br />An irrigation return flow ditch, which presently crosses the loadout facility, <br />has been channeled through a culvert to prevent contamination. A berm has <br />been constructed around the loadout site to contain all surface runoff on site. <br />-9- <br />