2010-08-06_PERMIT FILE - C1980007A ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: C1980007A
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 8/6/2010
• Doc Name: Permit Area
• Section_Exhibit Name: 2.05.3 Operation Plan - Permit Area
• Media Type: D
• Archive: Yes

West Elk Mine
from the mine on the run -of -mine belt and /or is hauled with equipment out of the main portal.
This refuse may be temporarily stockpiled in the screening plant reject bin or on the stack -tube
bench, and on the portal bench or in the nearby concrete bunkers, respectively. Coal refuse is
also generated from the screening plant and from the Coal Preparation Plant (CPP). The
amount of coal refuse produced is variable. The refuse materials that accumulate in temporary
storage areas are hauled by truck to the permanent refuse disposal area.
Four permanent refuse disposal areas and one development waste pile are permitted at West
Elk Mine. Initially, refuse was temporarily stockpiled in an area formerly called the U.S.
Steel laydown area. This area was enlarged and converted to a permanent refuse pile called
the Lower Refuse Disposal Area or Lower Refuse Pile (LRP). A permanent refuse pile is also
permitted for the meadow above the portal bench. This area is referred to as the Upper Refuse
Disposal Area (URDA). Although this upper refuse disposal area has been approved for
construction, it has not yet been constructed. Construction of the URDA will occur in the
future, if needed. All construction information about these two disposal areas is contained in
Exhibit 50 (URDA) and Exhibit 51 (LRP).
As MCC projected that the Lower Refuse Pile would reach its maximum storage capacity in
1997 (and would be before construction of the Sylvester Gulch ventilation shafts were ), a third
refuse disposal area was designed. The Refuse Pile Expansion (RPE) area was designed and
prepared to the east of the Lower Refuse Pile and east of Sylvester Gulch. As described in
Exhibit 51, refuse disposal at the LRP ceased before reaching the maximum designed storage
capacity, because all refuse disposal was being handled in the RPE area (as of October 1998).
Refuse disposal at the RPE will also cease before reaching it maximum designed capacity to
accommodate a refuse bin for the RPE East area described below. The design information and
baseline data for the RPE area are contained in Exhibit 70.
With projections for the RPE area to reach its maximum designed capacity by the end of 2010,
MCC completed design and engineering of the RPE East area, located within No Name Gulch,
approximately one mile southeast of the WEM main portals. Refuse to be disposed in this area
will primarily be generated from the CPP and will be conveyed to a refuse bin located east of
Sylvester Gulch on top of the RPE. After the refuse bin is in place and the RPE East area is
operational, refuse disposal in the RPE will cease until the bin location or other storage is no
longer needed there. From the refuse bin, approximately 5 to 6, 20 -yard truckloads per hour
(when CPP refuse is being generated) and will be taken to the RPE East area. An average of
300,000 tons per year of coal refuse is expected to be compacted into the refuse pile, with a
maximum of 500,000 tons anticipated in any given year. Detailed engineering and designs of
the RPE East area, including haul roads and drainage features, is included in Exhibit 82.
The Lone Pine Gulch Development Waste Pile contained approximately 17,000 cubic yards of
material generated from the development of the Lone Pine Gulch fan intake and return entries.
Designs for this pile are contained in Exhibit 42A. This development waste pile was
completed, soil- covered and seeded in the fall of 1995. The facility was decommissioned and
the Lone Pine facilities, including the development waste pile, in 2005.
2.05 -46 Rev. 11/04, 03/06, 04/06 & 05/06- PRIO; 08109- TRIM; 08109- TR119; 09109- MR357; 01 /10- TR120 A /� 6 / ' o