2009-01-07_PERMIT FILE - C1981022A (3)

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• RECLAMATION MATERIAL BALANCE General Background As described in Section 2.05.4, Reclamation Plan, facilities and associated surface disturbance areas will be reclaimed when they are no longer needed to support ongoing or anticipated future operations. This may involve interim reclamation of areas no longer required for ongoing operations while active mining and related operations continue in other areas or final reclamation on completion of active mining. The following represent the main areas of existing or proposed disturbance to be reclaimed: • Elk Creek Support Facilities and Sanborn Creek Mute Facilities Areas • Elk Creek Mme Surface Facilities Area • West Valley Fill • Satellite Facilities Areas It is anticipated that the first area to be reclaimed will be the Sanborn Creek Mine Facilities area as produttion shifu from the Sanborn Creek NLne to the Ells Creek Mute. Reclamation of the West Valley Fill Coal Refuse Pile will also be ongoing, with progressive reclamation of fill benches as they are completed. Satellite facilities will be reclaimed when the mining operations they support or are associated with cease. Re~r+~~~i~g facilities will be reclaimed on completion of active mining operations at some point in the future. The DMG has approved retention of certain existing or proposed mine facilities in conjunction with the proposed postmining land use, as described in Section 2.05.4, Reclamation Plan, including: • West Valley Haul Road • Elk Creek Haul and Access Roads • Sanborn Creek Mme Access Road • Associated Culveru Generally, backfilling and grading design for the mine disturbance azeas has involved balancing curs and fills within each disturbance area to establish a stable postmining configuration, reestablish effective drainage, and blend the reclaimed areas with the surrounding natural terrain and adjacent reclaimed areas. Reclamation of the Elk Creek Mme Surface Facilities Area will result in excess cut material which will be utilized to facilitate effective reclamation of the Elk Creek Support Facilities Area. In addition, minor volumes of excess cut material from both the Ells Creek Mme Facilities and other reclamation areas maybe tested and utilized as select suitable cover material and soil substitute in the Elk Creek Support Facilities and West Valley Fill Areas. Backfilline and Gradine Avoroach and Volumetrics In order to reclaim the Elk Creek Mine Surface Facilities azea, OMI will excavate, remove, and salvage or dispose of all of the Elk Creek Culvert except for those portions approved for retention in conjunction with permanent postmining road crossings. The middle portion of the Elk Creek channel will then be reestablished through the mine disturbance area consistent with approved postmining drainage designs, and rema;~ing disturbance areas will be regraded to a stable configuration which ties into the existing topography. Backfilling and grading of the Ellt Creek More Surface Facilities area will require approximately 94,500 cy of cut and 12,000 cy of fill, resulting in approximately 82,500 cy of excess cut material. Following confirmation testing for material suitability, approximately 20,000 cyof the excess cut material will be used in the West Valley Fill area to provide the required four feet of suitable cover. The Elk Creek Support Facilities and Sanborn Creek Mme Facilities areas and those portions of the West Valley Fill area other than the West Valley Fill itself and permanent postminirtg roads are contiguous and closely related. Therefore, reclamation design and volumetrics address these areas