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Mountain Coal Company <br />West Elk Mine <br />RPE Shafts Project Plan <br />Disturbance of existing vegetation is not anticipated, The vegetation that occurs in the <br />area consists of some aspen trees; Gambel oak, chokecherry, snowberry and servicebeny <br />shrubs; Mountain brome and other grasses; and various other fort and shrub species, The <br />shafts' pad will be located on a gently sloping hillside with a slight north-facing aspect. <br />An existing 6-foot high chain link fence provides perimeter security and precludes public <br />access to the RPE Shafts. Metal siding and roof material will enclose the intake airshaft <br />with one side remaining open to the atmosphere. Chain link fencing will be used as a <br />barrier material on the open side of the intake shaft enclosure. There are three alternatives <br />being investigated as a means of electrical power supply, these include (1) Routing of <br />power through Sylvester Gulch, (2) Routing of power fiom the pole sets at the North <br />Soils Storage Area or (3) Utilization of the Hawksnest Transformer Pad across Highway <br />133. <br />Final shaft design engineering will be based on information derived from subsurface <br />characterization studies. These studies are listed below and must occur during the 2006 <br />construction season in order to satisfy mine plan schedules and the critical need for <br />increased ventilation: <br />• Installation of a flinch continuously-cored hole at the proposed RPE Shafts' <br />center from pad surface to below the B Seam floor, and <br />• Drilling of 3 or more, 3" or 4" diameter, open-augured holes surrounding the <br />proposed RPE Shaft to weathered bedrock depth <br />The engineering data gathered liom the 4-inch wntinuous core will assist in the design of <br />RPE Shaft by providing information on the surface soils, bedrock, coal profiles, and the <br />material below the B Seam floor that will be encountered during shaft-raising. This hole <br />will also bepacker-tested to ascertain the existence and extent of aquifers that the shaft <br />construction may encounter. Each aquifer in the shaft that is not adequately protected by <br />concrete lining will be sealed by grouting with a curtain wall that extends 20 feet above <br />and below the aquifer. <br />The 3" or 4" diameter, open-augured holes (three or more in number) in the surface soil <br />to weathered bedrock increment will provide soils engineering data (e.g., bearing <br />strength) and near-surface hydrologic characteristics infomration. A small volume of <br />cuttings will be generated from the augured holes. These cuttings will be disposed as <br />refuse on the RPE area. As air drilling will be utilized no murdpits will be requited. <br />Based on current mine plan projections, MCC proposes to perform the subsurface <br />characterization holes in 2006. The information gleaned liom this work will enable full <br />design and construction bidding in advance of the 2006 construction season when shaft <br />construction is currently planned. Therefore approval of the project is needed from <br />regulatory agencies in March of 2006 so that bids for the subsurface characterization <br />holes can be tendered in time for work to be performed during the spring and summer of <br />2006. <br />TR-105 Page 3 of 12 <br />