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• SECTION 2.05.2 <br />OPERATION PLAN: Estimated Area for Life of Mine <br />• <br />• <br />Introduction <br />This section describes the general plan for mining plan~which is to be used from 1999-2010. The <br />mining methods, including overburden and coal removal, coal supply agreement, and mining <br />equipment are described. For the Mid Term Review of 2006, the mining area has slightly expanded <br />within the same permit area. The total disturbance area is now approximately 766.0 acres overthe <br />life of the mine. <br />The New Horizon 1 mine area has been reclaimed and is nearing the end of the bond release <br />period. <br />Operation Description /Production Methods and Equipment <br />Mining at the New Horizon 2 Mine will follow occur by surface mining methods. The primary coal <br />seam to be recovered is the Lower Dakota seam; however, the Upper Dakota seam will be <br />recovered if it is thick enough and of sufficient quality. Maximum overburden depth will approach <br />110 feet. Mining cuts will have a generally north-south orientation and will progress westward <br />except for the area north of BB Road and east of 2700 Road, which will have an east-west <br />orientation. <br />Mining activities began in early 1993. Excavation was performed by dozers, trucks and one shovel. <br />This same mining method and equipment selection will continue to be used. The mine sequence <br />is to first remove the topsoil with dozers, shovels and loaders loading trucks which take the material <br />to the regraded area behind the pit for reclamation. Soft upper overburden may be removed by <br />shovels and trucks and taken to the back of the pit for backfilling. Here, large dozers regrade the <br />spoil overburden into the original contour. Lower overburden is usually blasted and loaded with a <br />shovel and placed behind the pit for backfilling. The exposed coal is loaded with a shovel into haul <br />trucks which take the coal to the nearby power plant in Nucla operated by Tri-State. The anticipated <br />mining schedule for each area where mining will occur is graphically shown on Map 2.05.2-1. A <br />cross section of the typical pit is shown on Map 2.05.3-1. <br />Revised March 2006 2.045.2-3 <br />