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• III. MINE DESCRIPTION <br />The Deserado Mine is an underground operation utilizing both continuous and longwall mining <br />equipment. Approximately 3,200,000 tons per year of raw coal will be produced. After preparation, up <br />to 2,600,000 tons per year will be shipped to the power plant. There are two entrances to the coal <br />seams: the D Seam Portal and the B Seam Portal, Section 4, T2N, R101 W. The surface layout of <br />these areas is shown in Maps 24 to 27. In addition to the above-mentioned disturbances, another <br />major surface disturbance will be the refuse disposal area. All surface disturbances are described in <br />detail in the Mine Surface Facilities Operation Plan and Mine Surface Facilities Reclamation Plan <br />portions of this permit application. The remainder of this section is devoted to an overall general <br />description of the mine. This section is subdivided into a description of the underground development, <br />a description of surface support facilities, and a discussion of scheduling and manpower requirements. <br />III.A Underground Development <br />The mine plan is based upon mining two separate coal seams, the D Seam and the B Seam complex <br />(hereafter called the B Seam). The D Seam, which overlies the B Seam, averages about 7.5 feet thick. <br />It is mineable throughout the southern and eastern part of the permit area, but thins and becomes <br />• unmineable toward the northwest. The B Seam reaches maximum thickness in leases C-8424 and <br />C-8425 and is mineable throughout these areas. <br />The coal seams are accessed by rock tunnels at two locations within the D Portal area. The D <br />Portal was developed first and the B Portal developed later within the same area. Ventilation <br />Entries were developed from the mine in the D Seam to the outcrop in SW1/4, NW1/4, Section <br />11 (sealed and reclaimed in 2000-2001). A ventilation shaft has been installed for the B Seam <br />(See Map 1511 with additional return shafts being developed as mining progresses. <br />The B Vent Shaft and return shafts are used for ventilation exhaust. The remaining facilities including <br />shops, warehouse, service building, administration building and coal handling and preparation facilities <br />are located in the vicinity of the D and B Portals. <br />Raw coal from the mine passes through a rotary breaker and into twin 10,000 ton raw-coal silos. From <br />there the coal goes to the preparation plant or shipped directly to a 25,000 ton clean coal slot storage <br />facility. The refuse from the preparation plant is transported by off-highway trucks to the disposal area. <br />Permit Renewal #4 (1/2004) III-1 <br />