PERMFILE133694

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 3/4/2002
• Doc Name: Exploration Pad EEE & Drill Hole 2001-11-1
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 80 Drilling Activities - MR281
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

RECEIVED
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MOUNTAIN COAL
~~- COMPANYt..I_.~.
A Subsidiary of Arch Western Resources, ILC
MAR 0 4 2002
•
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August 13, 2001
Division of Minerals and Geology
West Elk Mine
P.O. Box 591
5174 Highway 133
Somerset, CO 81434
[phone]
Fax [phone]
Mr. James Burnell
Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology
Office of Mined Land Reclamation
1313 Sherman Street, Room 215
Denver, Colorado 80203
Re: Mountain Coal Company LLC (MCC), West Elk Mine; Permit No. C-80-007; Minor
Revision 281, Request for Approval of Exploration Drill Pad EEE and Drill Hole 2001-11-1.
Deaz Mr. Burnell:
MCC is requesting a minor revision to the mining and reclamation permit for an additional drill pad
and exploration drill hole No. 2001-11-1. MCC requested authorization from the United States Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) to construct and conduct drilling operations from pad EEE on this same
date. The letter requesting authorization from the BLM is attached as part of this Minor Revision.
Included are the biological and cultural assessments and a map depicting the drill pad location. Also
included is a schematic showing the proposed completion. It is anticipated the drill hole will serve as a
water monitoring hole in the B-Seam at completion, however, because of the potential for suspected
methane liberation and our previous experience of drilling just south of the North Fork of the Gunnison
River, MCC will address the feasibility of a water monitoring well at completion.
The proposed drill pad and exploration hole is on BLM surface-owned property and is situated on
MCC's Coal Lease COC 56447 (Box Canyon Lease) and within the current permit azea boundary. The
specific location has been flagged in the field and is located in Section 1 ], T.13 S., R. 90 W., 6`s
Principle Meridian.
The biological and cultural reports from our contractor (Greystone Consultants) indicate that there are
neither threatened, endangered, sensitive species, nor cultural resources present at this pad location.
The approval from the BLM for this pad location is expected in August 2001. As soon as the approval
is granted to MCC from the BLM to construct the pad and drill the exploration hole, copies of the
approval decision will be forwazded to the Division.