Laserfiche WebLink
Mine is abandoned, no construction of underground retaining walls will be necessary for <br />• placement of the fine refuse material. The operation is not anticipated to change the <br />existing condition of the mine and will not have an effect on tl~e surface area supported <br />by the mine or surface effects following the backfilling. <br />f, <br />The source of hydraulic transport medium for the slurry will be the makeup water <br />pumped to the prep plant which will be obtained from the existing mine pool in the <br />underground workings. Probing the clean water recycling hole (INEW-4) has indicated <br />that approximately 50 feet of water is available iu that area of the mine pool for return to <br />the prep plant. Initial makeup water will be the water ah~eady in the Prep Plant obtained <br />from the Purgatoire River from Basin's existing water rights. 'fhc method to be used to <br />dewater the refuse fines is to pump the water back to the Prep Plant from New-4. <br />Hydrologic impacts and monitoring are described under Section 2.U5.(. <br />2.05.4 Reclamation Plan <br />(a) Timetable <br />Operations at the New Elk Coal Processing facility are dependent upon receiving coal <br />from nearby mines for processing and shipment. The Golden Eagle and Lorencito <br />Surface mines are now in varying stages of final reclamation and no longer arc a source <br />of coal for processing and shipment. It is unknown at this time if market conditions will <br />justify opening an underground mine at the Lorencito Reserve Base. Opening an <br />underground mining complex at Lorencito will require the reinstallation of the rail line <br />from Jansen as well as a prep plant and loadout facility. The economics of a new facility <br />at Lorencito vs. reopening the New Elk Complex will need to be evaluated if the decision <br />is made to develop the Lorencito reserve. Thus, the exact timetable for reclamation <br />activities is dependent on coal production and marketing which is impossible to predict at <br />this time. <br />Pending that decision, many of the facilities al the New Elk are obsolete and will be <br />reclaimed during this permit term. These include all of the West Portal area, the East <br />Portal fan house, oil building, and coal stockpile areas #2 and #3. Also of immediate <br />importance is the RDA. <br />The RDA is the only facility at the New Elk requiring contemporaneous reclamation as <br />respective benches are completed. Seeding and mulching is required by the lirst planting <br />season after bench completion and topsoiling. An alternative final reclamation plao will <br />be developed and submitted as a technical revision for final reclvnation of the RUA at its <br />existing state of development. Drainage on the current upper bench (approximately 20 <br />acres), will be designed to direct drainage away from the Front slope and toward the back <br />and side perimeter ditches, eventually channeling the water to the armored down-drains <br />and to pond 8. Slopes will be minimized while positive drainage will be maintained. <br />This will significantly reduce erosion and sediment accunndation in Pond R while <br />RN-04 Pagc 2.05-44a (Revised 4f30f04) <br />