Laserfiche WebLink
West Elk Mine <br />Wastewater Treatment Plant <br />West Elk Mine has a package -type wastewater treatment plant to treat sewage from the mine's <br />facilities. The plant has a capacity of 10,000 gallons per day. With an aeration basin and <br />j clarifier, the plant provides primary and secondary treatment. The wastewater treatment plant is <br />operated under applicable state laws that govern wastewater treatment facilities, administered by <br />the CDPHE. <br />In 1996, MCC expanded the wastewater plant to increase the throughput capacity to 20,000 gpd. <br />The expansion included a 3,000 -gallon flow equalization tank, an additional clarifier and a <br />flocculent system. The clarifier is added to provide additional retention and clarification as a <br />passive safeguard to plant operation. The flocculent system will be used as a secondary safeguard <br />that may be operated to enhance solids settling in the primary clarifier. <br />Lone Pine Gulch Fan Site <br />The Lone Pine Gulch portals were situated approximately one (1) mile west of Somerset, <br />Colorado, at an elevation of approximately 6,480 feet. The Lone Pine Fan Facility was <br />constructed in 1995, accessing the B Seam, to serve West Elk Mine as the primary ventilation <br />facility for the then completed Northwest Longwall Panels (Nos. 1 -7); the Jumbo Mountain <br />Longwall Panels (Nos. 8 and 9), and the Southern Longwall Panels (Nos. 12, 13, 13A). These <br />121ongwall panels were isolated underground from the active workings, using explosion resistant <br />seals, and the entire area was abandoned. Watertight bulkheads were installed in each of the <br />portals in 2001. The designs, portal profiles, and plan view of the bulkheads are shown on <br />Drawing Nos. 42A -1, 42A -2, 42A -3 included in Exhibit 42A, in Volume 7 of the Permit <br />Document. The Lone Pine fan facility area was reclaimed in 2002 and 2003. <br />Sylvester Gulch (F -seam) Fan Site <br />One of the components of the mine ventilation program is the Sylvester Gulch Fan. This facility <br />is located in Sylvester Gulch, approximately one -half mile south of the mine facilities area. <br />Information concerning the design and operation of the fan is contained in Exhibit 42. <br />Sylvester Gulch Ventilation Shafts Site <br />In order to assure adequate mine ventilation for West Elk Mine's current and future mining areas, <br />ventilation shafts (both with fans for ventilation air intake) were constructed. Construction of the <br />site for these large diameter intake shafts began during spring of 1997 and shaft sinking began in <br />the fall of 1997. The ventilation fans and associated buildings, a nitrogen supply facility, mine <br />ventilation air heaters, rock dust supply tank are also located on the Sylvester Gulch ventilation <br />shafts bench. This ventilation facility is located approximately one half mile south of the <br />Sylvester Gulch Fan (Map 5313). Information regarding the design, construction and operation of <br />these ventilation facilities is contained in Exhibit 69. <br />2.05 -21 Rev. 06/05. 01106. 03106. 04106 & 05106- PRIO: 01109- MR350; 04109- TR116; 04109- MR353; 05109- MR354; 08109- TRI18: <br />08109- TR119 <br />I <br />I <br />