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page 3 <br />Memo to Susan Mowry <br />Animas Mine Waste Pile T.R. <br />originally permitted surface facilities. The applicant would prefer to <br />construct the facial slopes of this early portion of the pile to conform <br />with the steeper amended configuration of the pile, in an effort to avoid <br />reconstruction following requested approval of the amendment. <br />The applicant also proposes to enlarge the pile from 16.0 to 29.8 <br />acres. This expansion would include areas undermined by previous <br />workings of the Animas Mine and earlier operations. This particular <br />areas of the underground workings of the Animas Mine (formerly Helen <br />Mire) involved have been temporarily abandoned due to poor roof <br />conditions. The applicant recognizes that Rule 2.05.3(8)(a)(i)(D) <br />requires the completion of a specific analysis of the potential impacts <br />of subsidence upon the proposed amended pile. However, that analysis is <br />not included within the technical revision application. The undermining <br />does not underlie areas of the originally approved coal processing waste <br />pile. <br />Rule 2.05.3(8)(a)(i)(D) requires that any application for approval <br />or revision of a coal processing waste pile which overlies existing <br />underground mine workings must contain a general plan which contains, as <br />stated within that. Rule, "...a survey describing the potential effect on <br />the structure from subsidence of the subsurface strata resulting from <br />past underground mining activities..." In response to our earlier <br />completeness comments regarding this concern, the applicant has amended <br />the Technical revision application by letter to state: <br />"The specific subsidence analysis cannot be performed at this <br />time until mine projections (with or without retreat mining) <br />have been determined. The mine is currently gathering <br />exploration data to aid in these decisions. The area of old <br />workings is located such that refuse placement can occur for <br />years without depositing material in any area affected by old <br />workiRga. It is therefore requested that refuse be placed <br />only in the area delineated on the enclosed map until mining <br />projections have been determined and the surface subsidence <br />can be accurately evaluated." <br />In light of the applicant's cosunitments to perform the required <br />sophisticated mathematical stability analysis of the proposed pile <br />amendment, to restrict deposition of coal processing waste to the two <br />lower-moat 50 foot thick terrace benches of the proposed pile, to <br />restrict deposition to the reduced area delineated upon the supplemental <br />map, and to redesign and reconstruct the pile slopes, if necessary, I <br />deem it appropriate to approve the company's application with the <br />following stipulations: <br />Stipulation ~kl: <br />THE DIVISION DIRECTS SUNDANCE COAL COMPANY TO COMPLETE A <br />SITE-SPECIFIC SOPHISTICATED MATHEMATICAL STABILITY ANALYSIS OF THE <br />AMENDED CONFIGURATION PROPOSED FOR THE COAL PROCESSING WASTE PILE AT THE <br />ANIMAS UNDERGROUND COAL MINE. SUNDANCE COAL COMPANY SHALL SUBMIT THAT <br />