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TAB 12 <br />• COAL RESOURCE RECOVERY PLAN <br />Introduction <br />This tab describes in general terms all of those aspects of the mining operation which are proposed to <br />be conducted within the area estimated for life-of-operations and includes mining those reserves <br />presently determined to be economically recoverable by the area surface mining method. In addition, <br />specific mining operations proposed to be conducted within the permit area as defined in Rule 1, <br />Section 1.04189) of the Rules end Regulations are described in detail. <br />The following narrative describes the mining methods and equipment, to be used at the Seneca II-W <br />Mine. <br />Mining Operations -Life-of-Operations <br />The general type of mining employed at Seneca II-W will be the area surface mining method. This type <br />of mining is utilized in many of the western and midwestern coal fields where the reserves cover <br />relatively extensive areas and the coal stratum lies et a fairly constant depth below the surface of the <br />• land. Reserves of this type ere generally developed by conventional dragline or shovel methods which <br />ere typified by the excavation of a sequence of relatively parallel pits extending several thousand feet in <br />length. The overburden from each successive pit is placed or "spoiled" into the previous adjacent pit <br />after the coal has been removed and the operation advances to a limit line, known as a recovery line, <br />which is determined by property ownership, coal outcrop, coal quality, equipment limitations, prevailing <br />market conditions, or a variety of other inter-related factors (A.I.M.E. 19731. Prior to the overburden <br />removal stage, the mining area is prepared by clearing end removing the upper soils suitable for <br />revegetation, which are either stockpiled for future use or redistributed directly on graded spoil. After <br />the overburden and coal removal stages, the resulting spoils are graded to approximate original contour, <br />topsoiled, and seeded. <br />Normally, area surface mining is restricted to coal reserves which lie in a relatively level plane below a <br />level or gently rolling surface terrain. However, at Seneca II-W, the <br /> <br />