GENERAL34195 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

To the south of Foidel Creek, operations at "4ine 1 and Eckman Park nave ?ntrai: C2~ :; ~3~ `.~^^,"7 the ~:Ja dge Seam 310ng a !~i ,^, Slope Ylhlch e.e tends from the headwaters of Foidel Creek for several miles to the northeast. Mining began along the northeast end of the dip slope in the vicinity of the i4ine 1 permit area in the early 1960's, and mining operations have progressed from northeast to southwest, with Eckman Park located to the southwest of i4ine 1. i4ining and reclamation is ongoing in two pit areas at Eckman Park (the Area 51 Pit and the Area 61 Pit). Mining, backfilling, topsoiling and reseeding has been completed a*. Mine 1 and the major part of Eckman Park, and is being accomplished in contemporaneous fashion in Area 51 and Area 61. A single dragline removes overburden from both active pit areas, and the applicant projects a production rate of 1.2 million tons/year for the remainder of the Life-of-Mine in Eckman Park. Area 61 pits are oriented along the dip of the coal seam such that mining progresses from northeast to southwest, while area 51 pits are oriented parallel to the strike of the coal seam such that mining progresses up the dip slope from northwest to southeast. During initial operations in Eckman Park, boxcut spoils were placed in two approved excess overburden disposal areas along the toe of the dip slope adjacent to Foidel Creek. Construction of both overburden piles has now been completed, and overburden from each successive dragline cut is spoiled into the preceding cut. Dragline spoil ridges are dozed and graded to create slope configurations approximating ±hP original contours. Grading is followed by topsoil distribution and stabilization, seeding and planting. Existing facilities along the base of the dip slope on either side of Foidel Creek include a shop and warehouse complex covering approximately 28 acres; the Tipple No. 2 facility which covers approximately 15 acres and includes a raw coal stockpile, stoker coal facility, truck dump, primary and secondary crushers, a sampling building, covered conveyors, and crushed coal stockpile; the 16,000 sq. ft. main office complex; a 3 acre explosives bunker; and a 14 acre equipment construction, servicing and storage area. Numerous sedimentation ponds remain in place to control runoff from disturbed areas of Eckman Park, Mine 1 and Mine 2, Pond A, a sedimentation reservoir ~dhich is located on the South Fork tributary of Foidel Creek controls disturbed runoff from the major portion of Eckman Park. Final reclamation will entail removal of all buildings and structures with the exception of sediment ponds approved for use as stock ponds. Haul roads will he eliminated or reduced in size to he appropriate as ranch roads. Other facility areas will be graded, ripped, topsoiled and seeded. 9