2011-01-13_PERMIT FILE - C1981038A (6)

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2.05 APPLICATION FOR PERMIT FOR SURFACE OR UNDERGROUND MINING ACTIVITIES - MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATION AND RECLAMATION PLANS. 2.05.3 Operation Plan - Methods and Equipment (1) Methods and Equipment Mining ceased at the Bowie No. 1 Mine on December 4, 1997. There are no plans to reinitiate coal production at the Bowie No. 1 Mine since the east and west mines have been reclaimed. Historically, in the Bowie No. 1 Mine, the First Main North entries, a nine entry system, accesses the coal seam from the East Mine Portal Bench and are driven at a heading of N 19` E. These entries were completed to their projected length as the First North Mains. These entries in turn mined east as the First East Mains. Map 2 -5 shows the mining performed through December 4, 1997. The First East Mains were driven from the end of the First North Mains on a heading of approximately N 109 E. The First East Mains were developed to the eastern permit boundary. In June, 1986 a major mine fire occurred in the East Mine. This mine fire forced the sealing of the entire East Mine. In order to continue the mining operation, a new mine was constructed in the same reserve, but in a remote location. This is called the West Mine and operated under the same mine permit as the East Mine. The West Mine was constructed during the fall and winter of 1986. For a time production was trucked first to the crushing and screening plant at the East Mine and then reloaded and trucked to the unit train loadout. However, some temporary coal handling facilities were later constructed at the West Mine. These consisted of a coal stockpile, surface conveyor, stacker and temporary crushing and screening plant. Additionally, the West Mine had its own shop and small warehouse, a bulk rockdust system, and a bulk fuel handling facility. The West Mine was at first ventilated through a third adit on the West Portal Bench and then later through a new airshaft located approximately 1800 feet inby the West Portal Bench mine adits. Production through the West Mine portals continued until approximately 1993 when sufficient recovery of the East Mine allowed a cut through to be made and then a rerouting of the underground conveyor system which allowed coal to flow again directly to the crushing and screening plant. The West Mine remained only as the method for suppling the mine and as additional intake air capacity. The First West Submain entries access the coal Seam from the West Mine portals and were driven approximately 1000 feet on a heading of approximately N 71 W. The South III Submain entries were driven at an approximate right angle north to the First West Submain entries and advanced to the II West Submain entries, a distance of approximately 2000 feet. It is in these entries that the West Mine Ventilation Shaft was installed. PR -4 -5- 06/10 Pfgov6b