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-8- Description of the Operation and Reclamation Plan Of the 3,585 acres permitted at the New Elk Mine, 155 acres are disturbed by surface facilities. This permit revision will add 120 acres to the total permit area. Thirty six of these acres will be affected by new proposed surface facilities during this 5 year permit term. The new permit area will encompass 3,105 acres total with 191 acres of surface disturbance. The existing operation consists of several benches used for storage, office and shop buildings, railroad tracks, 2 portals, conveyors and coal silos, substations, fans and air shafts, a water tank, a parking lot, four sediment ponds and associated ditches and culverts, roads, and refuse disposal are~c_ The new surface facilities will include a new refuse disposal pile and sediment pond, two new topsoil stockpiles, coal stockpiles, conveyors, preparation plant and thickener, and a rail car dump for the Golden Eagle Mine. Coal will be mined by both continuous miners and longwall mining methods. Only one seam, the Allen seam, is to be mined. During the life of the mine the workings will progress mainly to the south and east. Refuse will be generated when the coal passes through the preparation plant. It will then be deposited in the refuse pile which is north of Highway 12. No additional refuse will be deposited in any of the existing refuse stockpiles. These areas will be used for situating some additional surface facilities. The others will be reclaimed. Due to the continuing use of most of the surface facilities, much of the disturbed area will not be cleared of structures and reclaimed until the completion of mining. When mining ceases the portals will be sealed and backfilled. The bench areas will be graded to the approximate original contour. The disturbed areas will be topsoiled to the extent topsoil is available, then seeded and mulched to establish a vegetative cover of a variety consistent with surrounding vegetation. The stream channel diversion approved under this revision is permanent and will remain as constructed after reclamation. Topsoil is to be salvaged from the area of the new refuse pile. This material will be used in the reclamation of the pile. Any other suitable soil material available will be used to reclaim the areas of the existing and proposed surface facilities. Due to previous disturbance prior to the enactment of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act, very little topsoil was salvaged which is available for use during reclamation.