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III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII <br />999 <br />MIDTERM REVIEW <br />West Elk Mine <br />Permit No. C-80-007 <br />This document presents the results of the Division of Minerals and Geology (Division) Midtemt <br />Review of the Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine. This Midterm Review was conducted <br />to fulfill [he requirements of Rules 2.08.3, 2.06.2(10), 2.06.3(4), 2.06.5(3), 2.06.70) and <br />3.02.2(4). <br />Pursuant to Rule 2.08.3, the Division is required to review the permit during the permit term, and <br />should not occur later than the middle of the pennit teen. Based on this review, for good cause <br />shown, the Division may require reasonable revisions or modifications of the permit provisions <br />to ensure compliance with the Act and Regulations. <br />Rules 2.06.2(10), 2.06.3(4), 2.06.5(3) and 2.06.7(5) which detail Experimental Practices Mining, <br />Mountaintop Removal Mining, Variances tom Approximate Original Contour Restoration <br />Requirements for Steep Slope Mining, and Variances for Delay in Contemporaneous <br />Reclamation Requirements in Combined Surface and Underground Mining Operations, <br />respectively, require that the Division review these practices or variances at some point during <br />the permit term. <br />Rule 3.02.2(4) requires the Division to review the amount of the bond required at the time permit <br />reviews are conducted under 2.08.3 or every two and one-half years, whichever is more frequent. <br />The Midterm Review consisted of a detailed review of the West Elk Mine permit application and <br />Findings Document to identify any items that may have been overlooked during the initial <br />review. The Division also reviewed all subsequent revisions and stipulation responses to ensure <br />that all permit commitments and conditions were being followed. The reclamation estimate was <br />also reviewed to confirm that all reclamation tasks had been included in the estimate. Problems <br />and observations from past inspection reports were also considered. <br />SECTION I -HISTORY <br />The West Elk Mine, operated by Mountain Coal Company (MCC), is located approximately one <br />mile east of the town of Somerset on Colorado State Highway No. 133. Operations at the West <br />Elk Mine have been conducted under several different names in the past. Before 1991, the West <br />Elk Mine itself was known as the Mi. Gunnison No. 1 Mine. Since the mine opened, operations <br />were conducted under the following names: Anaconda Minerals Company, ARCO Coal <br />Company (a division of Atlantic Richfield Company), and West Elk Coal Company, Inc. <br />MCC applied on November 6, 1979 for a permit to conduct underground mining and reclamation <br />operations. The first five-year pernti[ was issued on July 3l, 1981. The permit expired on July <br />31, 1986 and a complete application was received on January 17, 1986. The permit was renewed <br />on May 19, ] 987 and expired on August ], 199]. The Division received MCC's complete <br />