2009-03-23_REPORT - C1981022 (2)

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• available water. The lack of water in the well and the poor water quality suggests there is little transmissivity and connection between the North Fork of the Gunnison River and the B seam coal at this particular vicinity of the mine. As the of SC-1 and SC-3 wells serve to monitor only the Rollins sandstone and B-seam coal respectively up- rag_ dient of the Sanborn creek mining area, their utility towards the monitoring of the Sanborn creek mine itself remains somewhat limited. 6.0 Mine Water Information Elk Creek Mine Water The water utilized in the mine continues to be all imported from the alluvial water supply well located near the North Fork of the Gunnison River per the OMLLC water rights and Augmentation Plan. Water that is collected and routed to the underground Elk Creek mine sump generally comes from a number of sources, including overspray on mining equipment and beltlines for dust control, motor cooling and general leaks and spillage, etc. During July, 2005 a thermal event occurred in the 1St West Panel gob. Control of the event was facilitated, in part, by pumping of water into the area for cooling purposes. Subsequently, in late 2005, it was observed that the sealed 4 West and 5 West gate road areas were generating approximately 14 gpm and 12 gpm of water respectively from behind the mine seals. The water • was eventually routed to the mine sump. We believed that the source of water draining from these two sealed gate roads is the water pumped into the area earlier in the year, working its way down gradient to these two low points in the mine. During 2006, the two seals noted above plus a third seal located in 4 West and 5 West panel gob flowed a combined 17.2 gpm. All flows are collected and eventually routed to the mine sump. In addition, a large perched, but temporary, water zone flowed in the west end of 10 West and flowed into the gate road. It was also collected and pumped to the mine sump. By the end of 2006, the 10 west water flow had greatly diminished to where the entire flow is now pumped just 10 minutes a day to D2132. During 2007, a similar perched zone flowed temporarily in the west end of 11 West and pumped to the mine sump. By the end of 2007, the 11 West water flow had greatly diminished. The 4 West and 5 West seals still flow - 17.0 gpm. During 2008 the 4 West and 5 West still flow at the same - 17.0gpm. Little other unusual perched water zones were encountered. See the D2B and 132132 well discussion above for information regarding the transfer of collected Elk Creek mine sump water to the abandoned Somerset B/C seam workings. Otherwise, the groundwater encountered in the mine is fairly minimal and randomly distributed. . Perched water bearing zones are sometimes encountered (as expected) but they seem to dewater fairly quickly. 16