GENERAL35027

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 3/27/2006
• Doc Name: Oliver No.2 Mine Research
• From: Dan Hernandez
• To: David Berry
• Permit Index Doc Type: General Correspondence
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

STATE OF COLORADO
DIVISION OF MINERALS AND GEOLOGY
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman St., Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
Date: March 27, 2006
To: David A. Berry
COLORADO
DIVISION O F
MIN SRALS
GEOLOGY
REC LANATION•NINING
SA FETT•SCIENCE
Bill Owens
Governor
Russell George
Executive Director
Ronald W. Cottony
!/t Division Director
From: Daniel 1. Hernandez °' Natural Resource Trustee
Re: Documented References to Oliver No. 2 Mine Closure, Flooding or Combustion
The Oliver No. 2 Mine is an abandoned underground coal mine located in Sections 10 and 15, T13S,
R90W of Gunnison County, Colorado. The majority of the mine's workings are situated within the
Wl/2 of the E1/2, and the E1/2 of the Wl/2, of Section 15. All of the mine's workings lie within the
current permit boundary of the West Elk underground coal mine (CDMG Permit No. C-1980-007).
I have, per your request, documented specific statements regarding flooded or burning workings at
the Oliver No. 2 Mine found in the West Elk permit files and other sources. Because the Oliver No. 2
Mine currently overlies active West Elk mine workings, I have included statements from our files
regarding the potential effects on the Oliver No. 2 Mine, such as subsidence and dewatering, from the
West Elk mine.
I have, as per your request, identified in section headers the reference sources of the following
statements. I have in addition highlighted in these statements where the Oliver No. 2 Mine is
specifically mentioned. In the course of this research, I reviewed many documents associated with
these mines; however, due to the volume of information associated with the West Elk mine, I have to
date not reviewed every item in our files.
CDMG West Elk Mine Permit (C-1980-007)
"In the area of the Oliver No. 2 Mine, the interburden depth between the B-Seam and the E-
Seam is estimated to be 250 feet." [Permit page 2.04-28 (November 2004)]
2. "The E-seam outcrops on the northern side of the coal lease area along the North Fork, and on
the western side of the leases along Jumbo Mountain and Minnesota Creek, following the
pattern of the B and F-Seam outcrops (Map 9). Minor burn areas occur along the outcrop in
this area. The E-Seam is too low in elevation to outcrop in Sylvester Gulch; however, does
(sp) outcrop along the North Fork just to the east at the Oliver No. 2 Mine portal...This
thicker and higher-quality E-Seam deposit was mined during the 1940's from the Oliver No.
2 mining operation (Map 18), and will likewise be mined locally within the Apache Rocks
permit revision area." [Permit page 2.04-30 (November 2004)]
Office of Office of Colorado
Mined Land Reclamation Active and Inactive Mines Geological Survey