2009-09-21_PERMIT FILE - C1980007 ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 9/21/2009
• Section_Exhibit Name: Exhibit 51 Lower Refuse Pile
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Mountain Coal Company, LLC. Exhibit 51
West Elk Mine Lower Refuse Pile
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Mountain Coal Company, L.L.C. (MCC), operator of the West Elk Mine located near Somerset, Colorado
revised its Permit No. C- 1980 -007, issued by the Colorado Division of Mining Reclamation and Safety
(CDRMS) in July of 1981 to include a temporary coal refuse disposal area. A revision was made in August
of 1985 to construct a permanent refuse disposal area known as the lower refuse pile (LRP). In March of
1993, the permit was revised to accommodate a new mine access road and to reconfigure the final phase of
the LRP. In March, 1996, a revision was submitted to reconfigure the final phase of the LRP to allow
placement of an additional 360,000 -cy of coal refuse. The additional capacity was achieved by utilizing
the benches on the north and east LRP slopes and placing the refuse at a 2H:1 V grade. In 1997 MCC
began utilizing the Refuse Pile Expansion area to the east and use of the LRP for coal refuse disposal
ceased, leaving a relatively flat area of about four (4) acres for materials and equipment storage. In 2009,
MCC plans to begin construction of a coal preparation plant and associated facilities, as well as an
adjacent coal analysis laboratory building atop the LRP.
The LRP is primarily located in a portion of Section 10, Township 13 South, Range 90 West of the 6th
P.M., within coordinates 1,447,500 to 1,447,750 east and 404,250 to 404,500 north on land owned by MCC.
The LRP encompasses approximately 25 acres immediately east of the existing surface facilities, south of
Colorado Highway 133 and west of Sylvester Gulch. The surface elevation at the top of the pile will be
approximately 6330 feet. The LRP was designed and will be maintained to prevent combustion, insure
stability and protection against adverse impacts on water quality, water flow, and vegetation, and so as not
to create a public health hazard. The LRP will be used for the life of the mine. Upon final reclamation of
the refuse pile, haul road, and appurtenant structures, the land will be returned to use as rangeland and
wildlife habitat.
Section 2.04 of the West Elk Mining and Reclamation Plan (MRP) provides information about the land to
be disturbed with respect to land use, site description, cultural and historic resources, soils, vegetation, and
fish and wildlife. In order to collect comprehensive and unbiased environmental baseline data for the West
Elk Mine, an environmental study area extending from 1/2 to 1 mile outside of the mine plan boundary and
encompassing approximately 25,000 acres of land was established. The study area is illustrated on Map 3
of the MRP. The area disturbed by the construction of the permanent lower refuse pile is included within
the environmental study area.
The following summarizes the information in Section 2.04 of the MRP as it relates to the lower refuse pile.
Land Use The premining land use is rangeland supporting big game (deer and elk). Surrounding
land uses are described in Section 2.04.3 of the MRP.
Site Description The site is bounded on the north by State Highway 133, to the south by the mine's
main access and haul road and rangeland and woodland supporting big game (deer and elk), as well
as livestock (cattle and horses), to the east by Sylvester Gulch (ephemeral stream) and to the west
by the West Elk Mine surface facilities area.
Cultural and Historical As described in Section 2.04.4 of the MRP, an archaeological
reconnaissance of the environmental study area was conducted. No cultural or historical sites are
located in the area reviewed.
Soils The soils within the lower refuse pile site are of the Fugues loam type. For a specific
description, see Exhibit 27 and Map 41 (soils map) of the MRP.