Laserfiche WebLink
West Elk Mine <br />Water used at West Elk Mine comes from adjudicated water rights owned by MCC. Table 33 <br />summarizes MCC's rights. The rights are used according to Colorado Water Laws administered <br />by the District No. 4 Water Commissioner. MCC also has available non-tributary water rights <br />and storage water rights for sumps maintained underground. <br />Raw or untreated water is pumped underground from the freshwater pond (FW-1) by pumps, <br />located in the water treatment plant. The water distribution system at West Elk Mine contains <br />several major components. They include the raw water intake gallery and pumps, cast or steel <br />utility piping, fresh-water storage pond (FW-1), water treatment plant, mine water pumps, a 1.2 <br />million gallon mine water storage tank, freshwater pump, potable water tank, and fire <br />suppression systems. A second freshwater pond (FW-2) has not yet been built. However, its <br />construction is still considered to meet future storage needs. <br />Water pumped underground is used for dust suppression and to maintain fire-fighting systems. <br />Currently, none of the water seeping into the mine is used in the mine. Water inflows typically <br />are pumped-out of the mine, treated, and discharged according to NPDES permit requirements. <br />West Elk Mine has apackage-type wastewater treatment plant to treat sewage from the mine's <br />facilities. The plant has a capacity of 10,000 gallons per day. With an aeration basin and <br />clarifier, the plant provides primary and secondary treatment. The wastewater treatment plant is <br />operated under applicable state laws that govern wastewater treatment facilities, administered by <br />the CDPHE. <br />In 1996, MCC expanded the wastewater plant to increase the throughput capacity to 20,000 gpd. <br />The expansion included a 3,000-gallon flow equalization tank, an additional clarifier and a <br />flocculent system. The clarifier is added to provide additional retention and clarification as a <br />passive safeguard to plant operation. The flocculent system will be used as a secondary safeguard <br />that may be operated to enhance solids settling in the primary clarifier. <br />One of the major components of the mine ventilation program is the Sylvester Gulch Fan. This <br />facility is located in Sylvester Gulch, approximately one-half mile south of the mine facilities <br />area. Information concerning the design and operation of the fan is contained in Exhibit 42. <br />The Lone Pine Gulch Portals were situated approximately one (1) mile west of Somerset, <br />Colorado, at an elevation of approximately 6,480 feet. The Lone Pine Fan Facility was <br />constructed in 1995, accessing the B Seam, to serve West Elk Mine as the primary ventilation <br />facility for the then completed Northwest Longwall Panels (Nos. 1-7); the Jumbo Mountain <br />Longwall Panels (Nos. 8 and 9), and the Southern Longwall Panels (Nos. 12, 13, 13A). These <br />121ongwall panels were isolated underground from the active workings, using explosion resistant <br />seals, and the entire area is now abandoned. Watertight bulkheads were installed in each of the <br />portals in 2001. The designs, portal profiles, and plan view of the bulkheads are shown on <br />Drawing Nos. 42A-1, 42A-2, 42A-3 included in Exhibit 42A, in Volume 7 of the Permit <br />Document. The area was reclaimed in 2002 and 2003. <br />In order to assure adequate mine ventilation for West Elk Mine's current and future mining areas, <br />new ventilation shafts (intake and exhaust shafts) were constructed. Construction of the site for <br />2.05-21 Revised June 2005 PRIO; Rev. January 2006; Rev. March 2006; Rev. Apri! 2006 PR70, May 1006 PRIO; Rev. January 2009 MR-350 <br />