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West E/k Mine <br />• The U.S. Forest Service has required on-the-ground cultural and historic investigations for azeas of <br />surface disturbance at the mine where potential or actual impact to cultural or historic resources <br />could occur. The results of these investigations have identified or located very few cultural and <br />historic resources (Spath 1995) (Exhibit l OC). <br />As part of the cultural and historic investigations required by the U.S. Forest Service, file searches <br />have been conducted through the Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation <br />(OAHP). The only documented cultural resources in the vicinity of the West Elk Mine permit azea <br />and Box Canyon lease tract are the Hawk's Nest Coal Mine, the Oliver Mine, the Gallob Mine in <br />Sylvester Gulch, and a prehistoric isolated find neaz a natural spring in Section 34, T13S, R90W <br />(Spath 1995, WCRM 1994, Exhibit lOC). The files seazch also identified numerous (close to 20) <br />cultural resource investigationsand reports in the vicinity of the West Elk Mine permit azea. <br />Cultural and historic resource investigators have concluded that pre-European use of the immediate <br />mine azea was probably limited by steep topography, narrow drainage channels, thick vegetative <br />cover, and unpredictable water sources. These factors combined to limit pre-contact azea usage to <br />migrating hunting groups, explaining the relative paucity ofpre-European sites and artifacts. <br />Recommendations ofcultural and historic resource investigators are limited to pedestrian surveys <br />of likely camp areas located within flat or gently sloping areas within azeas to be affected by West <br />Elk Mine operations. These azeas will be surveyed if proposed for surface disturbance by Mountain <br />• Coal Company. <br />Field Investigations <br />Archaeological reconnaissancesof the West Elk Mine study azea (Figure 3) have been conducted to <br />assess the extent and nature of cultural resources contained within azeas of potential impact from <br />development related to the West Elk Mine. Field studies, laboratory operations, and report <br />preparation were completed by professional azchaeological teams (Exhibit 10, Exhibit I OA, Exhibit <br />IOB, Exhibit l OC, and Exhibit l OD). Field work was completed in several phases in the study azea: <br />1) October 27-30, 1975; 2) November 14-16, 1975; 3) June 9-12, 1976; 4) July 15, 1992; 5) June <br />16 and 29, 1993; 6) October 11-15, 1993; 7) Apri129, 1994; 8) November 1994; and 9) September <br />1996. Analysis was carried out immediately following each field period. An azchaeologic <br />reconnaissance was conducted for the Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) area in September 1995. The <br />report and map are contained within the RPE exhibit (Exhibit 70). <br />The azeas investigated included the main mine surface facilities azea, azeas immediately adjacent to <br />the surface facilities azea, the Sylvester Gulch Test Adit and access route, the Sylvester Gulch <br />Facilities Area, potential waste rock disposal sites, the Lone Pine ventilation facilities area, the RPE <br />azea, and access routes to all surface facilities and exploration sites. Map 7, Map 7A, and Map 7B <br />illustrate the azeas surveyed. Exhibit l OD includes an illustration of the Sylvester Gulch facilities <br />azeas surveyed. <br />• <br />2.04-7 Revised Jun. 1995 PR06; Revised Nov. 1996 PR07; RevisedJan. J997 TR79 <br />