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Mountain Coal Company, L.L.C. Exhibit 51 <br />West Elk Mine ~ Lower Refuse Pile <br />2.3 Phasing <br />• Due to spacelimita[ionsandinordertominimizemultiplehandlingofmaterials.pileconstructionhasbeen <br />phased. There are f ive separate phases of construction which are described, both in the test and on maps in <br />Appendix B. <br />2.3.1 Phase I <br />Phase t represented an extension of apre-existing temporary lay-down area. The materials that were in <br />place prior [o permitting of the lower refuse pile were compacted throughout both Phase I and Phase I1. <br />Other important aspects of Phase I included the construction of an underdrain system, site preparation and <br />construction of the topsoil stockpile. and the realienmen[ of a short section of Sylvester Gulch Road to <br />permit site preparation and construction of the subsoil stockpile (see Figure LWP-002 for more details on <br />Phase I construction). <br />2.3.2 Phase II <br />Phase II construction filled in the northeast comer of the pile construction begun in Phase 1. Phase II <br />allowed continued reprocessine of existing uncompacted materials and allowed the extension of the <br />underdrain system westerly to intercept the existine sedimentation basin (see figure LWP-003 for more <br />detailed informa[ionon Phase II construction). <br />2.3.3 Phase III <br />' Phase 111 extended the pile to the south and the edge of the existing Sylvester Gulch Road. Throughout <br />- Phases l through Ill, pile construction was accessed on existing roads. Completion of Phase III <br />construction fully established the lower slopes in [he toe area of the pile at a 2.SH to 1 V slope and provided <br />a 50-foot wide bench at approximately elevation 6200 feet (see Figure LWP-004 for more details on Phase <br />I11 construction). <br />23.d PhaselV <br />Several important events occurred at the beeinning of Phase IV construction. The topsoil stockpile which <br />had been utilized for the reclamation of Phase 1 through Phase 111 was relocated onto the 50-foot bench <br />constructed during Phase 111. The alignment of the Sylvester Gulch Road was relocated to the eastern edge <br />of the pile along Sylvester Gulch. Anew refuse pile access road was constructed above the pile between <br />Sylvester Gulch Road and the former main access road for the mine. An existing water line, identified as <br />[he Tony Bear Pipeline, was located and the portion of the line beneath the pile was plueged and abandoned. <br />The portion located above the access road was intercepted and diverted into Sylvester Gulch to permit <br />continued access [o water rights serviced by the line (see Section 7.3). Phase IV construction represented <br />the firs[ major advance across the lower access road and up the southwest slopes. Placement of material in <br />the area was preceded by the construction of a second underdrain s}•stem along the alignment of the lower <br />access road from the west side of the pile [o Sylvester Gulch Road. The underdrain provides for leachate <br />collection and safely conveys water from a number of existing seeps at the toe of the steeply sloping area <br />along [he lower road alignment (see Figure 2.0 and the new reconfigured pile designs, Figures 2.06-2.OF, <br />for more detailed informationon Phase IV construction). <br /> <br />