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Mountain Coal Company <br />West Elk Mine <br />RPE Shafts Project Plan <br />mine-workings and will not be stored on the surface. All material produced from the <br />activities will be incorporated with the appropriate material streams within the mine. <br />Water for the construction operations may be pumped from portable tanks or from the <br />North Fork of the Gunnison River using high-pressure hose. Alternatively, water may be <br />transported to the constriction site with mobile water carriers. MCC owns water rights <br />for these water resources. <br />Initially, MSHA will require monitoring and inspection of the RPE Shaft function as part <br />of the mine ventilation system. Routine maintenance will occur to the extent necessary. <br />Monitoring will occur in a manner to comply with the regulations stipulated by the <br />Colorado Air Pollution and Control Division as well as the Clean Air Act of the <br />Environmental Protection Agency. <br />PROPOSED SHAFT CLOSURE METHODS <br />Upon closure, the RPE Shaft will be capped with concrete and steel structure below <br />ground surface and backfdl material will be used to cover the cap. The concrete collaz of <br />the shaft will be removed and the area re-graded to blend with the post-mining RPE <br />configuration. Permanent closure measures will be designed to prevent access to the mine <br />workings by people, livestock, fish and wildlife, machinery and to keep drainage from <br />entering ground or surface waters. <br />Any exposed underground openings not completed to aquifers shall be sealed by <br />replacing cuttings or other suitable media in the hole and placing a suitable plug 10 feet <br />below tbe ground surface to support a cement plug or other media approved by the <br />Division to within 3 feet of the ground surface. The hole will be marked. <br />MCC will provide an appropriate seal design for the ventilation shaft and <br />monitormg/emergency standby holes to the CDMG before mine closure and permanent <br />sealing. The seal designs will take into account the actual conditions for the RPE area <br />considering both quality and quantity of water. MCC will seal the RPE shaft and <br />monitoring/emergency standby holes as required by MSHA and CMLRB regulations for <br />permanent closure of mine openings. The reason for the delay of the final seal design <br />submittal is due to the location of the shaft and monitoring/emetgency standby holes in <br />the farthest down dip area in the B-seam of the road side mine. MCC is evaluating mine <br />water dischazge from the shaft and monitormg/emergency standby holes location in <br />perpetuity after mine closure. <br />RECLAMATION PLAN <br />Reclamafion of the shaft and monitonng/emergency standby holes will follow when it is <br />decided by MCC that the shaft and monitoring/emergency standby holes are no longer <br />needed for their intended purpose. A specific date to commence reclamation is not <br />TR-105 Page 9 of 12 <br />