Laserfiche WebLink
West Elk Mine <br />• The F Seam operations at West Elk Mine involved the room and pillar type mining method, which <br />utilized continuous miners, diesel face haulage, and electric roof bolters. This type of equipment <br />was the best suited for the conditions of the F Seam panels. The longwall mining method is utilized <br />in the B Seam and the E Seam. Panels are developed using continuous miner sections. Depending <br />on mazket conditions, two longwalls could be operated in these seams. Most coal mined at West <br />Elk Mine is marketed and shipped asrun-of--mine product, i.e, it is not run through a preparation <br />plant or washed. <br />The major surface disturbance at West Elk Mine is the main facilities azea, including the portals, <br />coal handling facilities, support buildings, and refuse disposal areas, methane drainage well pads <br />and roads, and the Sylvester Gulch Facilities Area. Since the mine is an underground mine, the <br />surface disturbance (approximately 200 acres at present) is small compared to the pernut azea <br />(approximately 10,473 acres, with PRl l) and the life of mine azea (approximately 15,500 acres). <br />Some additional surface disturbance may occur in the future for ventilation, dewatering, and <br />methane drainage installations, refuse disposal, and other facilities necessary for continued mine <br />operations. Changes to the coal handling facilities required for the increased longwall production <br />included upgrading the run-of--mine conveyor belt to 60 inches wide, adding dual crushers and a <br />screening circuit at the breaker building, relocating the main haul road and water treatment plant, <br />and adding stacking tubes with underground reclaim systems. Descriptions of these new facilities <br />may be found in Section 2.05. The surface facilities will be reclaimed at the end of mining <br />operations aslater described. <br />• For the purposes of this application, the following terms are used in the document as defined below: <br />1. Mine Plan Area (Boundary): Means the azea of land and water within the boundaries of all <br />permit azeas during the entire life of the coal mining and reclamation operations. It includes all <br />azeas that are or will be affected during the entire life of those operations. <br />2. Coal Lease Area (Boundarvl: Means the azea of land and water within the boundaries of all <br />permit azeas during the entire life of the coal mining operations that overlie Federal coal leases <br />and privately owned coal, but which do not necessazily include lands disturbed by surface <br />operations in the permit area. This azea is shown on Map 1. <br />3. Permit Area (Boundary): Means the azea of land and water within the boundaries of the permit <br />designated on Map 1, Map lA, Map 53, Map 53A, and described in Exhibit 2A All areas that <br />will be affected by coal mining and reclamation operations during the five-yeaz term of the <br />permit or longer are included. <br />4. Environmental Study Area (Boundary): Means an azea, as delineated on Map 3, that extends <br />approximately one mile outside the permit boundary and mine plan boundary to encompass all <br />drainages and vegetation types on the property. A Riparian Area Protection Zone is depicted <br />on the map to show where surface occupancy cannot occur on Raven Creek. <br />5. Adjacent Area: Means land located outside the permit area, mine plan azea, and coal lease area <br />where air, water, wildlife, and other resources may be adversely affected by coal mining and <br />1.0-3 Revised November 2004 PRl l <br />