_INSPECTION - C1996083 (24) - Laserfiche WebLink

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M. COMMENTS-COMPLIANCE Below are comments on the inspection. The comments include discussion of observations made during the inspection. Comments also describe any enforcement actions taken during the inspection and the facts or evidence supporting the enforcement action. 'Phis was a partial inspection conducted by Joe Dudash of the Colorado D1ZMS. Bill Bear represented the operator during the inspection. Currently,the longwall is down until development mining can be completed, sometime in May.Two continuous miners are producing about 1,500 to 2,000 tons per day but that rate will increase as the operation increases to tour continuous miners. The mine site was covered in snow,with only some of the south-facing slopes free of snow cover. Main Mine Site Most of the ditches and culverts were covered in snow.Mine benches were covered in snow as well but appeared to be stable. Berms were up on the outside edges of each of the mine benches. The contractor had placed large rocks at the base of the B-seam portal bench highwall and was constructing a gentler slope on the highwall above the rocks. The main paved haul road was in good condition,although the last road curve needs to be repaved now that the repair work on that road section has been done. The road curve was repositioned to a more stable configuration. New guard rail was in place.The mine site light use roads were a little muddy but were passable. There was almost no coal stockpiled on the D-seam portal bench or on the main coal stockpile bench adjacent to the highway. There were no problems with any of the facilities on both portal benches, including the fuel barn. The main topsoil stockpile was covered in snow. Snow that had been graded off of the roads was piled neat to pond B.The mine ID sign was up at the main mine entrance and surface disturbance markers were in place. The operator was constructing a pipeline from the B-seam portal bench down to a location just east of the unit train loadout loading bin in anticipation of discharging mine water to the North Fork of the Gunnison River.The technical revision approving the actual discharge is in the public comment stage and, if no objections are received,the operator can begin discharging the mine water into the river after 5 pm,January 26,2009. The operator has received approval to wash coal from the West Elk Mine. West Elk will truck raw coal to the Bowie No. 2 coal stockpile.Bowie will run the raw coal through their wash plant and ship out the coal through their train loadout. The coal refuse will be transported back to West Elk's refuse pile.The first West Elk coal haul truck arrived during the inspection. The outslope of the gob pile was stable.Pond F had a little ice-covered water in it.The pond pump was in place. Unit Train Loadout There were no loading operations in progress at the train loadout. The site was covered in snow.Pond J and pond K were completely covered in snow as well.The mine ID sign was up at the entrance and surface disturbance markers were in place. Hubbard Creek Vent Shaft Area The operator has placed a pump on the D-seam dewatering well.The pipeline from the pump to the B-seam vent shaft has also been constructed. The plan is to pump water from the D-seam down to the B-seam and,then,out the B-seam portals to the river vial the discharge pipeline now under construction.The Hubbard Creek vent shaft site was completely covered in snow. c:/word/bowie2/insp0109