GENERAL54047

• Permit No: C1981022
• IBM Index Class Name: General Documents
• Doc Date: 4/11/2006
• Doc Name: Midterm Review Findings Document
• Permit Index Doc Type: Findings
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Midterm Review -Sanborn Creek and Elk Creek Mine
This document presents the results of the Midterm Review of Oxbow Mining LLC's
(OMLLC) Sanborn Creek and Elk Creek Mines, conducted by the Colorado Division of
Minerals and Geology (the Division). This Midterm Review was conducted to fulfill the
requirements of the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act, and Rules 2.08.3,
2.06.2(9), 2.06.3(4), 2.06.5(3), 2.06.7(5) and 3.02.2(4) of the Rules and Regulations of
the Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board for Coal Mining.
Rule 2.08.3 requires the Division to conduct a review of each permit issued, prior to its
midterm (2 %z years). Based on this review, for good cause shown, the Division may
require reasonable revisions to, or modifications of, the permits provisions to ensure
compliance with the Act and Regulations.
Rules 2.06.2, 2.06.3, 2.06.5 and 2.06.7 require that during the midterm review, where
applicable, experimental practices, mountaintop removal variances, variances from
approximate original contour (AOC), and variances from contemporaneous reclamation,
respectively, be reviewed by the Division. The Sanborn Creek and Elk Creek Mine do
not conduct experimental practices, nor have variances been granted for mountain top
removal, approximate original contour or contemporaneous reclamation.
Rule 3.02.2(4) requires the Division to review the amount of performance bond liability
and the terms of acceptance of the bond every 2 %z years.
The proposed decision date for Permit Renewal No. 4 was 10 October 2003. The permit
was issued on 3 December 2003. The Proposed Decision and Findings of Compliance
were updated at the time of the proposed decision.
Section I -History of Site
The Sanborn Creek and Elk Creek Mines, operated by Oxbow Mining, LLC., are located
in Delta and Gunnison Counties, and are adjacent to the town of Somerset on Colorado
State Highway 133.
The original permit under the Colorado Permanent Regulatory Program was issued to
U.S. Steel Mining Company, Inc. on 1 I October 1983. Kaiser Coal Corporation acted as
operator on the property from 1986 to 1990. In 1990, their permit was transferred to
Somerset Mining Company and Somerset completed the permit renewal for another
five-year permit term. That permit period initiated 11 October 1988 and expired 11
October 1993.
Upon finalization of the purchase of the mine and transfer and renewal of the permit,
Somerset Mining Company proposed opening a new set of mine portals, named the
Sanborn Creek Mine, to access, first, the C seam and, then, ramp down to the B seam.
Most of the production would come from the B seam. This proposal was presented in
Sanborn Creek and Elk Creek Mine
Permit No. C-1981-022
2006 Midterm Review
11 Apri12006
2