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West Elk Mine <br />2.05.3 Operation Plan - Permit Area <br />(1) Production Methods and Equipment <br />The production methods and equipment in use at West Elk Mine are described above in Section <br />2.05.2. <br />(2) Operation Description <br />MCC plans to mine two coal seams; the B and E Seams. Longwall mining operations will continue <br />in the B Seam during the current permit term. Longwall development in the E Seam was initiated in <br />late 2004, and longwall mining of the E Seam began in late 2008. <br />F Seam <br />After mining operations in the B Seam were fully operational, MCC discontinued mining in the F- <br />Seam. Map 50 shows where MCC has mined in the F Seam to date. MCC current'-, has no plans <br />for further mining of the F Seam. <br />E Seam <br />Mining plans for the E Seam are presented on Map 51. Development mining began in 2004 and <br />longwall mining began in late 2008. A description of E-Seam mining plans is presented in Exhibit 60B <br />and Section 2.05.6(6)(e)(i), Subsidence Prediction, 2.05.6(6)(e)(i)(A) Brief Description of Mining Method, <br />South of Divide Mining Area. <br />MCC may, on a temporary basis, transport coal to other coal operations for processing or to provide coal <br />needed to fill trains for other coal operations. If processing requires washing, the resulting refuse will be <br />returned to MCC for disposal. <br />B Seam <br />Mining of the B Seam was discontinued in late 2008 after mining of the E-seam was begun. Map <br />52 shows the B seam mining that was completed by Mountain Coal Company within the permit <br />area. The map shows the Federal Leases and Fee leases that were mined. <br />Manpower Requirements <br />Existing and projected manpower requirements are shown in Table 32 for the permit term. <br />Projected manpower requirements are based on projected production levels to fulfill existing and <br />anticipated contracted coal sales. These projected requirements are subject to change for various <br />reasons. New contracts may require revisions to the figures. <br />(3) Mine Facilities <br />West Elk Mine's major surface facilities are located 1 mile east of the town of Somerset, Colorado, <br />and just south of State Highway 133. Access to the mine is through the F Seam. The West Elk <br />2.05-15 Rev. 06105- PRIO; 01106- PRIO; 03106- PR10; 04106- PRIO, 05106- PRIO; 01109-MR-350; 04109- TR 116; 04109- MR353