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1997 ANNUAL RECLAMATION REPORT <br />CYPRUS EMPIRE CORPORATION <br />EAGLE MINES <br />PERMIT NO. C-81-014 <br />INTRODUCTION <br />This report addresses the surface disturbance associated with the mining operations of Cyprus Empire <br />Corporation (CEC). CEC is an underground coal operation currently in a state of temporary cessation. <br />Prior to entering into the temporary cessation status CEC utilized a longwall system in the "E" seam to <br />mine federal, state and private coal in Moffat County, Colorado. Tltis longvvall system was initially <br />installed in 1985 while CEC was in the process of extracting the overlying "F" seam. Historicall}•, <br />underground mining has been conducted near the current operations since the 1930's, primarily along <br />outcrops and in seams above those currently being mined by CEC. Additionally, the adjacent Trapper <br />surface mine has disuubance and reclamation over and adjacent to the CEC mines. One such reclaimed <br />area is the Utah Tract shown on the Map AR-l. This parcel originally consisted of 199 acres but in 1987 <br />a portion of the parcel vvas transferred back to Trapper and CEC retains reclamation liability on the <br />remaining 158 acres. Bond release sampling has been conducted previously on this area and was <br />conducted in 1996. Additional sampling will be required to complete the Plrase III bond release process. <br />CEC has responsibiliq- for the Williams Fork Strip Pit. The majority of the pit was reclaimed in 1981, <br />with the remainder reclaimed in 1987. Tlie Number 9 Mine was staved in 1976, and produced coal until <br />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, waste water treaunent system, refuse disposal areas, and satellite storage buildings. There are <br />several areas of pre-law mining within the CEC permit boundary for which CEC is not responsible. One <br />of these areas encompasses the Han mine fire work which has been and will continue to be conducted by <br />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, CEC <br />does not anticipate any large scale reclamation to be undertaken in the near future. Tlie Number 9 Mine <br />refuse area still contains storage volume due to the fact that the operation has been in temporary cessation <br />and no material Itas been hauled to the area during the present year. At such time as reclamation <br />commences CEC will follow the approved reclamation plan presented in the permit. <br />2. 1997 Reclamation <br />No additional disturbance and no additional reclamation work, except for partial backfilling and grading <br />of the No.S portals, was conducted during 1997. The backfilling of the No. 5 Mine portal is not complete, <br />therefore the reclamation table has not been modified to reflect this work. The Arnoco Pipeline corridor <br />was seeded in 1996 and CEC will continue to visually monitor the vegetation establislunent in this area. <br />Table AR-1 was updated in the 1996 ARR to include dates of seeding for the Williams Fork Strip Pit, <br />Utah Tract and Amoco Pipeline corridor. Map AR-1, Annual Reclamation Status Map as of I/1/95, with a <br />revision date of 1/97, in incorporated into this report by reference. This is being done to reflect the fact <br />that no additional reclamation activities occurred during 1997 which would have to be shown on this map. <br />file:i \empire~arr\1997arr.doc <br />