Laserfiche WebLink
'• 4.2.1 Mlne Development Plates 7 and 8 are the mine plan and development sequence for the <br />' D Seam and the 8 Seam, respectively. Initial mining began with the D-Seam portals. Underground <br />access to the coal seam has been provided by two declined rock tunnels: one double-compartment <br />decline and one single-compartment decline. The double-compartment decline is divided by a steel <br />' divider. The upper compartment contains the coal conveyor belt, and the lower compartment is for <br />transportation of men and materials. The single-compartment slope, also called the ventilation <br />' slope, is used solely for ventilation through the mine fan. The double compartment slope is approxi- <br />mately 500 feet long driven on a dedine of 14 degrees to intersect the coal seam. The ventilation <br />slope is driven on a decline of 16 degrees. <br />Bottom development was completed in the area where the two slopes intersected the coal. The <br />West Mains were developed to a point where development of the South Submains could begin. AS <br />' of this writing, August 1997, the South Submains, East Portals, about 2300 feet of South Mains <br />Right, about 12,000 feet of the East Mains and gateroads for longwall panels LW1 through LW10 <br />were developed. Longwall panels LWt through LW8 were mined out and LW9 was being mined <br />when the Deserado Mine fire occurred in the tailgate (gateroad 10E) on January 31, 1996. The East <br />Mains were initially sealed between longwall panels LW5 and LW6 and later sealed again about <br />' 1500 feet further outbye. Following the fire, room and pillar panels RP1 and RP2 were developed <br />to provide coal while new longwall panels LW10, LW11, and LW12 were being developed and new <br />longwall equipment was being manufactured. The location of the fire and the seals in the East <br />Mains prevent access to mineable D Seam coal to the north. However, Phis coal will be accessed <br />from the B Seam by an incline ramp and longwall panels LW13, LW14 and LW15 scheduled for <br />' mining in the years 2008 through 2014. These panels and the access from the B Seam are shown <br />on Plate 7. Mine development and the production sequence is discussed in Section 4.2.5 and is <br />shown on Plates 7 and 8. <br />' The B Seam development has begun (July 1997) with the mining of a four-entry ramp from the <br />' West Mains in the D Seam to the D to B Access in the B Seam.The D to B Access is a four entry <br />access that incorporates 3 sets of ramps to access the B Seam Mains. The first ramp goes from <br />D Seam to B Seam, the second from B Seam back up to D Seam and the third from D Seam bads <br />' to the B Seam. The three ramps are necessary to avoid major partings and thin coal in both the <br />D and B Seam. Longwall panels LW-1 B through LW-8B will be developed off B Mains and B North <br />' submains as will room and pillar panels RP-16, RP-2B and RP-48. RP-3B and the D Seam <br />longwall panels LW13 through LW15 will be developed from B Seam East Submains. RP-SB and <br />RP-6B will be developed from B Seam South Submains. The B Seam portal will be located at the <br />mine site and will be a single curved dedine slope approximately 460 feet long with construction <br />scheduled to begin in September 1997. The B Portal and slope will be connected to the D to B <br />Access by a set of three entries driven to the south for that purpose. Coal produced from the B <br />' Seam will be conveyed out of the mine using the existing D Seam slope conveyor. <br />'. 18 <br />1 <br />