PERMFILE101131

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/15/2006
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 70B Refuse Pile Expansion ‎(RPE)‎ Shaft Project Plan
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Mo~mtain Coal Company
West Elk Mine
RPE Shafts Project Plan
REFUSE PILE EXPANSION (RPE) SFIAFr PROJECT PLAN (Febmary 28, 2006)
The proposed project consists of constructing one intake ventilation shaft in the Refuse
Pile Expansion (RPE) Area at the West Elk Mine. The shaft will be constructed using the
raise bore or raise bore/slashing method, allowing the cuttings to be retard in the mine.
The construction of this shaft is required to accommodate the ventilation needs of current
underground operations. The shaft will be concrete~ollared, concrete-lined, and
equipped with steel ladders for escape purposes. Shaft dimensions are anticipated to be at
most 16.5-feet in diameter by 318-feet in depth. Exact dimensions are dependant on the
results of a subsurface characterization program included as part of this project plan.
The purpose of this shaft (RPE Shafts) is to provide an intake point for the B Seam mine
ventilation system.
In addition the installation of two (2) monitoring and standby emergency holes is
proposed on the same pad as the intake shaft. The holes will be 9 5/8-inches collared and
will serve to monitor gas levels in the mine and as injection holes for water and COZ in
the event of an emergency,
Mountain Coal Company (MCC) is proposing to construct this shaft and monitoring
holes in the SE '/, of Section 10 and the NE '/. of Section 15, of T.13S, R90W, 6
Principal Meridian, Gunnison County, Colorado. A surface map at the scale of 1" _
2000' is provided to depict the general locations of the proposed light-use mad and shaft
pad in relation to the mine permit and lease boundaries and other mine features (Map 6'n.
The proposed project will be constructed on private property owned by Mountain Coal
Company. It will be used to facilitate mining of both MCC-0wned fee coal and coal
resources within Federal Coal Lease COC-56447, held by Mountain Coal Company,
L.L.C. The project area is located within the current Colorado Department of Mining and
Geology (CDMG) pemmt area (CDMG Permit C-80-00'n. The proposed site is near
Highway 133; sediment control is provided by an existing 2~elled pond (named RPE
Pond); and the shaft is expected to be in use for the remainder of the mine life.
Surface features will be built from a construction pad at the edge of the existing RPE
footprint and will not diminish the capacity of the RPE to store waste materials from the
mine. Reclamation will occur to blend with the final configuration of the RPE.
Access to the shaft pad will be needed all year long. The driving surface of the pad will
be graveled to facilitate access during the year. The perimeter of the pad that is not
graveled will be seeded following construction for interim reclamation purposes.
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