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• TAB 12 <br />COAL RESOURCE RECOVERY PLAN <br />Introduction <br />This tab describes in general terms all of those aspects of the mining operation which are proposed to <br />be conducted within the area estimated for life-of-operations and includes mining those reserves <br />presently determined to be economically recoverable by the area surface mining method. In addition, <br />specific mining operations proposed to be conducted within the permit area as defined in Rule 1, <br />Section 1.04189) of the Rules and Regulations are described in detail. <br />The following narrative describes the mining methods and equipment, to be used at the Yoast Mine. <br />Mining Operations -Life-of-Operations <br />The general type of mining employed at Yoast will be the area surface mining method. This type of <br />• mining is utilized in many of the western and midwestern coal fields where the reserves cover <br />relatively extensive areas and the coal stratum lies at a fairly constant depth below the surface of the <br />land. Reserves of this type are generally developed by conventional dragline or shovel methods which <br />are typified by the excavation of a sequence of relatively parallel pits extending several thousand feet <br />in length. The overburden from each successive pit is placed or "spoiled" into the previous adjacent <br />pit after the coal has been removed and the operation advances to a limit line, known as a recovery <br />line, which is determined by property ownership, coal outcrop, coal quality, equipment limitations, <br />prevailing market conditions, or a variety of other inter-related factors IA.I.M.E. 19731. Prior to the <br />overburden removal stage, the mining area is prepared by clearing and removing the upper soils <br />suitable for revegetation, which are either stockpiled for future use or redistributed directly on graded <br />spoil. After the overburden and coal removal stages, the resulting spoils are graded to approximate <br />original contour, topsoiled, and seeded. <br />Normally, area surface mining is restricted to coal reserves which lie in a relatively level plane below a <br />level or gently rolling surface terrain. However, at Yoast, the <br />