Laserfiche WebLink
INTRODUCTION <br />The closed Sanborn Creek Mine and the operating Elk Creek Mine are underground coal mines <br />located immediately north of the Town of Somerset, Colorado. The Sanborn Creek Mine was <br />developed in 1990 and operated until February 2003. The Elk Creek Mine started production in <br />February 2002. The Elk Creek Mine is operated by Oxbow Mining, LLC. (OMLLC) to supply high <br />quality, bituminous coal primarily for utility and commercial heating use. The Sanborn Creek Mine <br />initially operated as a conventional room and pillar underground mine producing up to 1,300,000 tons <br />of coal annually. Later, the Sanborn Creek Mine expanded with upgrades to the surface and <br />underground coal handling systems; installation of a high-efficiency longwall mining system; <br />development of a new refuse disposal area; and expansion of mine production and coal handling <br />capabilities to a level of 4,000,000 to 4,800,000 tons per year. <br />Later, development and mining of the Elk Creek Mine in the D Coal Seam expanded the OM-LC <br />operation. The mine permit area includes the inactive Somerset Mine, the closed Sanborn Creek <br />Mine, the existing Elk Creek Mine, mine-related surface facilities, and unmined reserve areas. The <br />following summarizes existing and historical mining-related surface facilities and disturbance areas <br />within the mine permit area: <br />Somerset Mine and Facilities - The Somerset Mine, which was mined almost continuously <br />from 1902 to 1985 by various operators, is mined-out and the associated mine access portals <br />have been sealed and abandoned. <br />Bear Creek Facilities - The Bear Creek Facilities supported the Somerset Mine and included <br />an access road, substation, ventilation fan installation, water storage tank, mine portals, and <br />coal degassification facilities. The mine portals were backfilled and sealed in 1986 and all <br />structures and facilities were removed and associated disturbance areas reclaimed. <br />Lower Hubbard Creek Facilities - The Lower Hubbard Creek Facilities supported the <br />Somerset Mine and included an access road, substation, ventilation fan installation, mine <br />portals, hoist facilities, and an inactive refuse disposal area. The mine portals were backfilled <br />and sealed in 1986 and all structures and facilities were removed or demolished and <br />associated disturbance areas reclaimed. As a pre-law disturbance that was not utilized or <br />disturbed subsequent to 1974, the refuse disposal area was not reclaimed. <br />Upper Hubbard Creek Facilities - The Upper Hubbard Creek Facilities supported the <br />Somerset Mine and includes an access road, electrical substation, powerline, and sediment <br />control structures. These facilities remain in place, except for the substation that was <br />removed, but are not currently being utilized. <br />Elk Creek Coal Handling, Support, and Ancillary Facilities - The Elk Creek Facilities include <br />or included the main mine access road; the shop, warehouse, and office facilities; parking lot; <br />water storage tank; sanitary leach field; fuel and oil storage facility; rock dust storage bins; <br />storage yard; various storage and ancillary buildings; Substation 1; the sealed Somerset Mine B <br />Seam and C Seam main portals; ventilation fan installations for the B and C coal seams; mine <br />track system; an overland conveyor; a stacking conveyor; two coal stockpile areas; a dump <br />station and truck scale; coal tipple with crusher and sampling installations; coal storage silo; <br />coal mine waste piles; explosive magazines; topsoil stockpiles; Sedimentation Ponds; and <br />access road extending up Elk Creek and to the D Seam portal area. With the exceptions of <br />the B and C Seam portals and Sanborn Creek portals, ventilation fan installations, and mine <br />track system which have been backfilled, sealed, removed, and reclaimed, the Elk Creek <br />Facilities remain in place and are being or will be utilized in conjunction with ongoing mining <br />operations of the Elk Creek Mine. <br />Sanborn Creek Mine and Facilities - The Sanborn Creek Mine facilities included the mine <br />haulage road; sealed mine portals; ventilation fan installation; overland conveyor; electrical <br />RN- 5 1 Revised October 2008