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2000 ANNUAL RECLAMATION REPORT <br />RAG EMPIRE CORPORATION <br />EAGLE MINE COMPLEX <br />PERMIT NO. C-81-044 <br />INTRODUCTION <br />This report addresses the surface disturbance associated with the mining operations of RAC Empire <br />Corporation . This is an underground coal operation currently in a state of temporary cessation. Prior to <br />entering into the temporary cessation status RAG Empire utilized a longwall system in the "E" seam to mine <br />federal, state and private coal in Moffat County. Colorado. This longwall system was initially installed in <br />1985 while RAC Empire was in the process of extracting the overlying "F" seam. Historically, <br />underground mining has been conducted near the curtent operations since the 1930's, primarily along <br />outcrops and in seams above those mined and to be mined by RAG Empire. Additionally, the adjacent <br />'T'rapper surface mine has disturbance and reclamation over and adjacent to the RAG Empire mines. One <br />such reclaimed area is the Utah Tract shown ort the Map AR-I. This parcel originally consisted of 199 <br />acres but in 1987 a portion of the parcel was transferred back to Trapper and RAG Empire retains <br />reclamation liability on [he remaining 158 acres. Bond release sampling has been conducted previously on <br />this area and was conducted in 1996. Additional sampling will be required to complete the Phase III bond <br />release process. <br />RAG Empire has responsibility for the Williams Fork Strip Pit. The majority of the pit was reclaimed in <br />1981, with the remainder reclaimed in 1987. The Number 9 Mine was started in 1976, and produced coal <br />until 1981 after which time the mine was sealed due to market and mining conditions. The Number 9 Mine <br />portal area cut is currently utilized as a refuse disposal area in accordance with this permit. <br />Surface facilities and current disturbances associated with the operation include the stockpile facilities, <br />portals, roads, breaker building, offices, conveyance system. warehouse/shop, silo, railroad track, ponds, <br />ditches, wastewater treatment system, refuse disposal areas, and satellite storage buildings. There are <br />several areas of pre-law mining within the RAG Empire Corporation permit boundary for which it is not <br />responsible. One of these areas encompasses the Hari mine fire work which has been and will continue to <br />be conducted by the Division along the outcrop where the coal is smoldering. <br />Given that the current disturbances are limited to those areas necessary for the operation of the mine, RAG <br />Empire does not anticipate any large scale reclamation to be undertaken in the near future. The Number 9 <br />Mine refuse area still contains storage volume due to the fact that the operation has been in temporary <br />cessation and no material has been hauled to the area during the present year. At such time as reclamation <br />commences RAG Empire will follow the approved reclamation plan presented in the permit. <br />2. 2000 Reclamation <br />No additional disturbance and no additional reclamation work. The backfilling of the No. 5 Mine portal is <br />not complete, therefore the reclamation table has not been modified to refect this work. The Amoco <br />Pipeline corridor was seeded in 1996 and RAG Empire will continue to visually monitor the vegetation <br />establishment in this area. Table AR-I was updated in the 1996 ARR to include dates of seeding for the <br />Williams Fork Strip Pit, Utah Tract and Amoco Pipeline corridor. Map AR-I, Annual Reclamation Status <br />Map as of 111/95, with a revision date of 1197, in incorporated into this report by reference. This is being <br />done to reflect the fact that no additional reclamation activities occurred during 1999 which would have to <br />be shown on this map. <br />file:i aempirelarrt2000arr.doc <br />