Laserfiche WebLink
,0 <br />OXBOW MINING, LLC <br />3737 Hwy 133 P.O. Box 535 Somerset, Colorado 81434 USA Tel (970)929-5122 Fax <br />(970)929-5177 <br />February 22, 2010 <br />Mr. Mike Boulay <br />Environmental Protection Specialist RECEIVED <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />101 South 3`d, Suite 301 FEB 2 5 2010 <br />Grand Junction, CO. 81501 Diviwuii ui Keciamaton, <br />Mirs ng and Salety <br />Re: Oxbow Mining LLC, Permit No. C-1981-022 <br />TR-67 Application for 2010 Exploration Boreholes Plan. <br />Dear Mr. Boulay, <br />This letter is to request Technical Revision No. 67 to the Oxbow Mining LLC (OMLLC) Permit <br />No. C-1981-022. The purpose of the TR is to conduct a 2010 exploration borehole drilling <br />program. This exploration drilling program involves completion of 9 exploration boreholes, all <br />of which are located within the Elk Creek Mine Permit Area C-1981-022 and Federal Coal Lease <br />COC-61357. The location of the holes will attempt to define a "known" fault which has <br />ramifications for defining the extent of planned future longwall panel layout and possibly, the <br />addition of one more north panel to the mineplan. <br />OMLLC has previously permitted exploration programs as NOI's (Notice of Intent to Explore) <br />but CDRMS has recently changed a long standing policy and indicated additional exploration <br />boreholes should be permitted as Technical Revisions to the Permit. Note that the substance of <br />this TR was previously submitted to the Division under separate correspondence on January 13, <br />2010 as a "2010 NOI". <br />Oxbow believes that while the CDRMS Regulations clearly provide for the use of NOI's outside <br />of Permit areas, the regulations are silent with respect to the use of NOI's within Permit areas. <br />The CDRMS regulations do not prevent or explicitly prohibit the use of NOI's within Permit <br />Areas and Oxbow disagrees that the Division's arbitrary change in policy. Oxbow believes it <br />remains more appropriate, and clearly within the Division's discretion, to use NOI's for <br />exploration within Permit areas. <br />Site Construction, Operation and Reclamation <br />The project will be very similar to that which had previously taken place for current borehole <br />sites. Overall, the sites will be accessed via the pre-existing Bear Creek canyon ranch road. <br />0 Page 1