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VII <br />Disposal of Excess Spoil <br />The Blue Ribbon mine will not require a disposal area for excess <br />spoil (4.09). <br />VIII <br />Coal Mine Waste Banks <br />Minimal coal mine waste was produced by the Blue Ribbon Mine; <br />therefore, a refuse disposal site was not constructed. The waste <br />that was produced, was trucked to the Red Canyon Mine in Cedaredge, <br />to be placed on their refuse disposal area. Details of Red <br />Canyon's approved refuse pile can be located in the Division's File <br />No. C-81-034. <br />In 1985, the operator submitted a technical revision request to <br />stabilize the mine bench and the slope below the mine bench. The <br />Division approved the use of underground development waste from the <br />West Elk Mine as a source of fill to stabilize the slope. Drains <br />were installed under the mine bench which tie into the existing <br />upper bench drains. These are known as the North, Middle, and <br />South Drains. The outslope of the bench was covered with <br />overburden and available topsoil to a depth of four feet. <br />IX <br />Coal Mine Waste <br />No coal mine waste from the Blue Ribbon mine was returned to <br />underground workings (4.11.3). <br />Disposal of non-coal waste was handled as required (4.11.4). <br />No dams or embankments constructed of coal mine waste have been or <br />proposed to be constructed (4.11.5). <br />Backfilling and Grading <br />A. The backfilling and grading plan for the Blue Ribbon Mine can be <br />located in the Reclamation Plan which begins on page 108 of the <br />permit application. A plan view of the post-mining topography and <br />correlated cross-sections are presented in Exhibits F and B, <br />respectively. <br />The majority of backfilling and grading operations has taken place <br />in the mine bench and the haul road areas. The Blue Ribbon Mine <br />has received a Phase I bond release for backfilling and grading <br />activities. The mine, however, had a shortage of material that was <br />required to complete the task. The operator had to subsequently <br />import material from different places in order to provide <br />sufficient quantities of backfill material. The Division has <br />granted a variance of approximate orginal contour at the Blue <br />Ribbon Mine. See Section XX, Operations on Steep Slopes, in this <br />document for specific findings regarding this application. <br />30- <br />