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Apex No. 2 Mine; Midterm Findings <br />This document presents the results of the Division of Minerals and Geology's midterm review of the <br />Sunland Coal Corporation's Apex No. 2 Mine permit, C-81-011. This midterm review was conducted to <br />fulfill the requirements of Rules 2.08.3, 2.06.2, 2.06.3(4), 2.06.5(3), 2.06.7(5) and 3.02.2(4). <br />Rule 2.08.3 requires that the Division conduct a review of each permit issued by the middle of the <br />permit term. Based on this review, for good cause shown, the Division may require reasonable revision <br />or modification of the permit provisions to ensure compliance with the Act and Regulation. <br />Rules 2.06.2, 2.06.3, 2.06.5, and 2.06.7 require that experimental practices, mountaintop removal <br />vaziances, steep slope mining, variances from Approximate Original Contour (AOC), and variances <br />from contemporaneous reclamation be reviewed by the Division where applicable. The Apex No. 2 <br />Mine permit includes variances from AOC for the backfilled portal bench. The variance from AOC for <br />the portal highwall was approved July 28, 1995, with TR-06. The highwall existed prior to the <br />permanent program regulation promulgation. Variance from AOC is allowable under Regulation <br />Section 4.14.1(2)(f). <br />Rule 3.02.2(4) requires that the Division review the amount of the bond and terms of acceptance of the <br />bond every two and one-half yeazs. <br />The midterm review consisted of a detailed review of the Apex No. 2 Mine permit application, findings <br />document, revisions since the last permit renewal, outstanding stipulations, permit database, and permit <br />commitments and conditions. Annual reclamation reports and field inspection reports over the past year <br />were also reviewed to ensure consistency of the mine plan with field conditions. <br />I. History of the Site: <br />Apex No. 2 Mine was a small underground mine that has been reclaimed. Mining at the Apex No. 2 <br />Mine commenced in 1966. Sunland Mining Corporation has operated the Apex No. 2 Mine since 1976. <br />Mining was completed at Apex No. 2 Mine in 1986. Backfill, re-grading, topsoil application, and <br />seeding occurred in the fall of 1992. Limited inter-seeding occurred in the fall of 1995. Post-mining <br />land use is grazing land and wildlife habitat. Information pertaining to land use is presented on pages 12 <br />through 13.6 and 187.1 through 188 of the permit. The bathhouse building and access road to the <br />building has been approved, as per the landowners request, to remain in support of the post-mining land <br />use. <br />Routt County Road No. 29 runs through the permit area. Routt County Road No. 29 is owned and <br />maintained by Routt County and is not the responsibility of Sunland Mining Corporation. Sunland <br />Mining Corporation is responsible for maintaining a 6-inch deep Swale across Routt County Road No. <br />29 to allow surface water drainage to cross the road. <br />The Apex No. 2 Permit was originally issued to Sunland Mining Corporation on May 26, 1983. Mining <br />had occurred at this location since the eazly 1900's. The yazd and portal site correlate to the location of <br />the Apex No. 1 Mine. The mine site was disturbed pre-law and had no topsoil salvaged prior to <br />disturbance. Mining ceased in 1986. At the request of the landowner, Sunland Mining Corporation <br />imported 6-inches of topsoil for distribution over the 3.1 acres of mine yard disturbance. The permit <br />was renewed by the DMG on May 16, 1988 for a subsequent 5-yeaz term (RN-O1). The permit was <br />renewed fora 3rd 5-year term on May 7, 1993 (RN-02). DMG approved RN-03 on April 17 1998. <br />