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West Elk Mine <br />coal as it is loaded. Another 12-foot diameter tank contains approximately 9,800 gallons of a <br />thicker antifreeze to treat the railcars prior to loading. A concrete clean-up bunker is located <br />to the east of the loadout building. The bunker is used to clean-up coal that occasionally spills <br />during the loading process. The spilled coal is loaded into a truck and hauled to the main <br />mine site. <br />(S)Coal Processing Waste and Non-Coal Processing Waste <br />Production of Waste or Refuse Material <br />MCC generates waste or refuse during underground construction activities and mining. <br />Underground construction activities include building ventilation overcasts or undercasts, <br />ventilation shafts or tunnels, access slopes, and roadways or haulage ways. Mining produces <br />refuse material from the roof and floor surrounding the coal seam. <br />Although underground construction activities and mining constitute the primary sources of <br />refuse material, some refuse is generated from other mine activities. Other sources of refuse <br />material are contaminated coal spillage, sediment pond dredgings, soils contaminated with <br />non-hazardous materials (e.g. petroleum products) and limited mine development or coal <br />processing wastes from neighboring operations, if comparable in characteristic to West Elk <br />Mine's refuse. These additional sources make up a very small percentage of the total amount <br />of refuse produced at West Elk Mine. <br />In order to determine comparable characteristics, MCC will conduct initial geotechnical <br />analyses on the refuse material and submit to CDRMS in 30 days the results of the <br />geotechnical analyses. The parameters in the geotechnical analysis report will include <br />laboratory proctor density, optimum moisture content, dry density, moisture content, relative <br />compaction, and soil type. If any comparable characteristics are not within their respective <br />projected ranges, MCC will provide additional design parameters in a revision to reflect any <br />changes. <br />Refuse Disposal <br />During the operational life of the mine to date, refuse has been disposed of in several <br />permitted locations. They include the Bear No. 2 Mine portal bench, the Blue Ribbon Mine <br />bench stabilization and backfill, and West Elk Mine's portal bench mine supply storage area <br />fill and the run-of-mine stack tubes coal storage area fills. Coal refuse was once stockpiled in <br />the initial waste rock storage area (maintenance shop bench), but all refuse or waste was <br />removed before construction of the earthen fill to make a pad for the shop. Coal refuse is <br />transported from the mine on the run-of-mine belt and/or is hauled with equipment out of the <br />main portal. This refuse may be temporarily stockpiled in the screening plant reject bin or on <br />the stack-tube bench, and on the portal bench or in the nearby concrete bunkers, respectively. <br />The amount of coal refuse produced is variable. The refuse material that accumulates in the <br />temporary storage areas, is hauled by truck to the permanent refuse disposal area. <br />2.05-44 Revised November 2004 PR10; Rev. March 2006; Rev. April 2006 PRIG; Rev. May 2006 PR10; Rev. January 2009 MR-350