PERMFILE127443 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Wesi Etk Mine • Bleeder Entries Bleeder entries are developed, as necessary, to ventilate retreat areas until those areas can be permanently sealed from active mine workings. The bleeder entries are connected to the main return air ventilation system. Barrier Pillars A barrier pillar is a large block of solid coal adjacent to retreat areas lefr in place to protect active mine workings. Barrier pillars may be left, if necessary, between panels and main envies, between submains and panels, or other areas as may be needed. Barrier pillars vary in size and designs are based primarily on life-expectancy required for the barrier and the depth of overburden. In all cases, the dimensions of barrier pillars will be adjusted for prevailing conditions to provide the protection for which they are intended. Longwal[ Mining Methods Mountain Coal Company plans to use longwall-mining technology in the E and B coal seams. Panel layouts consist of gate roads driven by continuous miners, a 600 to 1,100 foot wide longwall face, necessary ventilation entries, and barrier pillars. Afrer the ventilation and gate road entries are completed, a longwall set up or starting room • will be driven at the inby end of the panel. Longwall equipment will be moved in and assembled. Once equipment is ready, the longwall will retreat mine the panel until it reaches the main entry barrier pillar. The equipment will then be disassembled and moved to another panel. Mining Under Restricted Areas No major buildings, major structures, occupied dwellings, cemeteries, parks, railroads, or highways overlay the coal planned for extraction at the West Elk Mine. Although two reservoirs are within the coal lease area controlled by MCC, the reserves in the E and B-Seams under these reservoirs have been legally severed from the lease. No mining is planned beneath any portion of these reservoirs. The Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek runs through the coal lease area and conducts water from the Deep Creek Ditch to the Minnesota Reservoir. As discussed later in Section 2.05.6, longwall mining, rather than leaving pillars or coal barriers, would be less impacting to the stream. Health and Safety Genera[ Mine Safety Mountain Coal Company has established that it is the responsibility of all employees to make • the environment, health and safety their first consideration and that no phase of operation or administration has greater importance. Achieving safe and environmentally sound 2.05-9 8/93 Sfip. 48; RevisedJan. 1994 PROS; Revisedhn. 1995 PR06