Laserfiche WebLink
Mountain Coal Company Exhibit 69 <br />West Elk Mine Sylvester Gulch Facilities <br />in Exhibit 69. The downcomer pipes for the shafts will be sealed by filling the entire hole <br />with cement grout or other similar material. <br />Reclamation will also include removing and hauling off-site CCW-1B, the Clearwater <br />diversion culvert. Because of the culvert size, it is not practical to bury it on site. The <br />culvert will either be recycled or disposed of in the local landfill. <br />All of the approximately 160,000 CY of fill material will remain within the site as the <br />SGFA is regraded to approximate original contour (AOC) during reclamation, although <br />relocation of approximately 80,000 CY of material will be required. For example, <br />approximately 20,000 CY of fill material from the shaft site area will be used to reclaim <br />light-use roads prior to topsoiling. An additional 20,000 CY of fill material from the <br />shaft sites will be relocated to the substation area during regrading and slope flattening of <br />this site. The remaining 40,000 CY of relocated material will be taken from the two <br />stream crossing embankments (Sylvester Gulch crossing and the "Substation Gulch" <br />crossing) and used to reclaim the main access road back to a light-use road. The <br />remaining approximately 80,000 CY of net fill material, which includes the material used <br />to construct engineered embankments along the lower portion of the main haul/access <br />road and the remaining fill material at the shaft sites, will generally remain in place and <br />be regraded to AOC. Leaving the geogrid type engineered embankments in place wilt <br />create significantly less disturbance during reclamation and will also provide additional <br />long-term stability to reclaimed slopes. The engineered embankments for the main <br />haul/access road crossing of Sylvester Gulch and the block faced retaining wall at the <br />shafts site will be removed upon final reclamation. <br />The ventilation Shaft #3 site will also be reclaimed to AOC; however, not all of the <br />material excavated from Shaft #3 is required to be returned to achieve the AOC of the <br />area. Approximately 140,000 CY of material from the Shafr #1 and #2 site will be hauled <br />to backfill and regrade the shaft pad and road. The remainder of the material <br />(approximately 11,000 cy) will remain at the Shafr #1 and #2 site. Both sites (Shaft #1 <br />and #2, and Shaft #3) will be backfilled and regraded to approximate original contour as <br />shown on Map 58B. The reclamation of these two areas will be such that the areas will <br />be stable, the hydrologic balance will not be impacted, topsoil will be salvaged, stored <br />and replaced, and the disturbed areas will be revegetated. Topsoil stockpiled at the Shaft <br />#3, and from either the Shaft #1 and #2 stockpile or stockpile #1 will be used. <br />Only a portion of the fill material used to construct the Sylvester Gulch main haul/access <br />road and substation access road is planned to be removed because the reclamation plan <br />for these two roads includes reducing the roads to light-use roads. The geogrid type <br />engineered embankments along the road will be left in place. For light-use roads that will <br />be entirely reclaimed, the reclamation process will be to pull embankment (fill) material <br />up to the road, supplemented with material From other areas, and place and grade this <br />material to provide a smooth transition from uphill to downhill slopes. Road base <br />material will be covered and buried in place. For haul/access roads that will be <br />14 Nnv. 199h PR07R; Revised Map 1997 MR216 <br />Revised Jul. 1997 MR279; Revised Jimr 2003 MR297 <br />