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<br />The applicant has conducted laboratory permeability and porosity tests on <br />twenty-three samples of selected sandstone intervals collected from <br />cores. Because of the lack of correlation, core samples were selected <br />from those intervals that appeared to be the most permeable. Measured <br />values of the vertical intrinsic permeabilities of the sandstones of the <br />Raton Formation fell within a narrow range of 0.12 - 1.65 millidarcies. <br />Horizontal intrinsic permeabilities were determined for 5 samples. Their <br />values ranged from 0.08 to 2.4 millidarcies. The test results indicate <br />that the channel sandstones in the Raton Formation in the vicinity of the <br />New Elk and Golden Eagle Mines are quite uniform with respect to <br />permeability, even though these sandstones are vertically and <br />horizontally discontinuous. <br />The applicant has also provided the results of three pump tests conducted <br />at the Golden Eagle Mine. In two wells (LA 221A and LA 218A) the <br />open-interval available for water entry included the Maxwell seam, and <br />various thicknesses of shale, siltstone, and sandstone immediately above <br />and below the coat seam. No significant water was encountered in either <br />hole until the Maxwell Coal Seam was penetrated. Therefore, the <br />permeability values determined are for the coal. The tests found <br />permeab1'lities of 0.02 and 0.04 ft/day, transmissivities of 0.56 and <br />1.98 ft1/d, and storage coefficients of 1 x 10-5 and 8 x 10-5. The <br />permeability and transmissivity values are low and the storage <br />coefficients are indicative of confined aquifers. <br />The third well (LA 264) was designed to provide an assessment of the <br />water bearing capacity of the overburden in addition to that provided by <br />the core permeability tests. The open interval in this well began at a <br />depth of 62 ft. and ended at a depth of 276 ft. During drilling, water <br />inflow was encountered at about 72 ft. The inflow was estimated to be <br />about 15 gpm and no significant increase in discharge was observed over <br />the remainder of the hole. It is probable that a thin fracture zone at <br />the 72 ft. level accounts fur most all of the water produced by this <br />well. This well had a permeability of 0,42 ft/d and a transmissivity of <br />90.7 ft2/d. <br />The location and geometry of the Purgatoire River does not appear to be <br />related to the occurrence of fractures, jointing, or faulting. Faults <br />have not been reported in Golden Eagle workings beneath the surface <br />streams. In fact, with the exception of the water bearing fracture zone <br />encountered in the Second Right entries, no faulting has been reported in <br />the mine. <br />The Allen and Maxwell seams are confined artesian aquifers in the general <br />area. The coal seams are confined by the shales and siltstones of the <br />overlying Raton Formation and the underlying Raton and Vermejo <br />Formations. Ground water flora in the coal is through coal cleats and <br />minor fractures. The coal seams are recharged by old mine workings and <br />oxidized coal/burn zones along the coal outcrops, and by surface/alluvial <br />systems at the coal subcrops in stream valleys. The major recharge area <br />for the coal seams adjacent to the mines are located just west and <br />-14- <br />