Laserfiche WebLink
VI. Use of Explosives <br />No explosives will be used or stored in conjunction with this <br />operation. None of the requirements of this section apply. <br />VII. Coal Mine Waste Banks <br />Information pertaining to the proposed coal processing waste disposal <br />area is presented in Sections 2.4 and 3.1.1 of Volume VI of the <br />application. These materials have been reviewed by the Division for <br />compliance with the Rules and Regulations. <br />Salt Creek Mining Company Permit Revision No. 1 in 1985 proposed the <br />construction of a coal processing waste pile in an ephemeral stream <br />valley, located approximately one mile to the south of Munger Canyon. <br />This new processing waste pile is proposed to be constructed in four <br />separate phases, eventually achieving a maximum volume of 2.6 million <br />cubic yards of coal processing waste. Because the actual processing <br />waste materials will not be available until processing commences at the <br />Munger Canyon Site, it has been necessary for the applicant to complete <br />design analyses assuming various material properties. In response to <br />earlier Division adequacy comment, the applicant amended the revision <br />application to include commitments to complete the appropriate testing <br />and design verification or amendment when material becomes available, as <br />described hereafter. <br />The applicant has been approved, rather than constructing the normally <br />required subdrain, to construct an impermeable membrane using "a <br />man-made liner or thorough compaction and addition of bentonite." The <br />application's ground water baseline information does demonstrate that <br />the ground water table is quite deep within the alluvial materials which <br />constitute the proposed waste pile's foundational material. In response <br />to earlier Division adequacy comment, the applicant has amended the <br />present permit application to include a commitment, as follows: <br />"Further studies will be conducted on a representative number of <br />samples to confirm permeability and compactability of soils and will <br />be submitted to CMLRD one year prior to construction of the refuse <br />disposal area. If these studies indicate, Salt Creek will take <br />measures to insure that permeability will be less than 1 X 10-6 <br />centimeters per second, such as the addition of bentonite." <br />(Page 2-26, Amended Permit Revision Application.) <br />Test results presented on Plate No. 7 of Appendix Bs show the <br />foundational material beneath the proposed waste pile are capable of <br />significant consolidation settlement, which could disrupt an impermeable <br />membrane's integrity. In response to Division comments, included in <br />earlier adequacy reviews, the applicant has amended the permit <br />application revision to include the following commitment: <br />"Salt Creek will initiate studies to determine the effects of <br />settlement upon the impermeable liner. Data will be submitted to <br />CMLR one year prior to construction of the refuse area indicating <br />the magnitude of settlement and possible shear zone so that the <br />-33- <br />