1990-08-31_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981041

• Permit No: C1981041
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 8/31/1990
• Doc Name: Midterm Review Findings Document
• Permit Index Doc Type: Findings
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Section I - Comments
The Roadside and Cameo Mining Operation was granted a five year mining and
reclamation permit under the permanent regulatory program on January 3 , 1983.
Renewal of this permit occurred January 3, 1988. On October 28, 1986,
Powderhorn Coal Company, operator of the mines , notified the Colorado Mined
Land Reclamation (CMLRD) of the temporary cessation of its operations.
The mine continued under temporary cessation until May 1 , 1989 at which time
active operations were resumed in the Roadside Mine. At the time of this
review, only the Roadside Mine is active. Resumption of mining at the Cameo
site has not occurred.
As indicated in correspondence from the operator to MLRO,' the Roadside Mine is
currently supplying a contact calling for 140,000 to 1 ,700,000 tons of coal
per year. Roan and pillar methods are being employed in the mining. Disposal
of coal processing waste is currently occurring at the Cameo Refuse Disposal
Area No. 2. The operator has committed not to dispose of refuse at Cameo
Refuse Area #1 until questions regarding the pile 's stability have been
resolved. Cameo Refuse Area #3 has been approved for the operation.
Stipulation No. 07 to the permit renewal , however, requires the operator to
file an additional performance bond in the amount of $760,000 at least 60 days
prior to initiating any disturbance associated with the construction of CRDA
#3. At this time, such bond has not been supplied.
The initial refuse pile for the mining operation, identified as the Roadside
Refuse Pile, was completed in 1984. The pile has been covered, topsoiled, and
seeded. The operator has undertaken a series of revegetation field trials on
the Roadside Pile to determine if less than 4 feet non-toxic, non-combustible
cover will be sufficient to achieve successful revegetation and minimize the
disturbance of the hydrobalance. A decision on the success or failure of the
field trials had not been made at the time of this review.
At present, the disturbed area of the permit is estimated at 304 acres , the
affected area 2,680 acres , and the permit area 10,040 acres.
Since the permit was renewed January 3, 1988, only two minor revisions have
been processed by the Division. The nature and status of these are summarized
in Section II of this review.
The reclamation bond was thoroughly reviewed utilizing CAT773 trucks and
CAT988B loaders to transport the bulk of material in the RDA's. The savings
utilizing this method offset other rising costs so the net increase in
estimated cost was $5,000 which brought total liability to $2 ,453,700. The
reclamation bond now on file for the mine is $2,500,000. The details of the
review of the reclamation bond are available from the Division upon request.
All stipulations to the renewal of the permit have been reviewed. The status
of these is presented in Section III of this review.
Section IV outlines specific items and areas within the permit application
package (other than those already noted in Sections II and III ) which are of
concern to the Division and require updating or revision.
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