GENERAL37807

• Permit No: C1980004
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 10/2/1985
• Doc Name: RESPONSE TO STIPULATION NO 11 - MCCLANE CANYON MINE PN C-80-004
• From: MLRD
• To: TOM GILLIS
• Permit Index Doc Type: STIPULATIONS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Richard D. Lamm
Governor

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Davitl H. Getches, Executive Director
MINED LAND RECLAMATION DI\
DAVID C. SHELTON, Director
DATE: October 2, 1985
T0: Tom Gillis
FROM: Jim Pendleton
RE: Response tip ion No. 11 - McClane Canyon Mine Permit (C-80-004)
Pursuant to your request, I have reviewed Salt Creek Mining Company's
submittal in response to Stipulation No. 11, placed upon issuance of the
McClane Canyon Mine Permit (C-80-004). Stipulation No. 11 required the
Company to revise their mine plan to include an acceptable backfilling and
grading scheme for the portal and adjoining surface facility area.
Salt Creek Mining had a pre-mining topographic map prepared for the surface
facility area, utilizing a pair of U.S.G.S stereographic aerial photographs
taken in 1967. That map demonstrates that the area does qualify as a "steep
slope mining area", in compliance with the definitions in Rule 1.04(125) and
2.06.4. The pre-mining slopes vary from 39 to 43 degrees from horizontal.
Because of the stability problems associated with the reclamation of slopes of
that steep gradient, the Company properly requests a variance from approximate
original contour for the mine bench and portal area.
The Company has included comparative slope stability analyses of the
pre-mining and post-mining slopes for the steepest reclaimed slope within the
portal and mine bench area. This analysis demonstrates that the proposed
reclaimed slope configurations would improve the slope stability of that area
from 1.234 for the pre-mined slope to 1.311 for the proposed reclaimed
post-mining configuration. The Company commits to the backfilling of all
exposed coal outcrops, except in the area of the two deeply incised natural
stream channels, in which pre-mining coal outcrops existed.
As such, the Company's response satisfies my original geotechnical concerns
expressed in Stipulation No. 11. The Company's amended permit also satisfies
the geotechnical concerns of Rules 2.06.5(2)(f) and 4.27.4(1), concerning
variances from approximate original contour within steep slope mining areas.
However, Rule 2.06.5(2) and 4.27.4 require several other specific
demonstrations regarding topics such as pre-mining and post-mining hydrology,
land use, etc., for the mined area. The operator will have to submit an
amended Request for Variance from Approximate Original Contour, in order to
address these additional required topics.
Assuming an acceptable application for
Contour Within a Steep Slope Mining Are
satisfied the geotechnical requirements
approval of their original permit, no.
Variance from Approximate Original
a is received, the applicant has
of Stipulation No. 11, placed upon
C-80-004.
cc: Mike Savage
423 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203 Tel. [phone]
3818E/cj
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