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Refuse fines will be recovered from the bottom of the thickener and pumped in a four -inch <br />• poly -pipe line to the New Elk Mine slope. This line will be buried from one -to -three feet <br />below the surface of the ground to prevent freezing and disturbance from surface operations. <br />Exposed portions of the pipe will be bermed to prevent runoff should a spill occur. The <br />refuse slurry will consist of a maximum 34 percent solids by weight and water will be used <br />as the transport medium. The slurry will be allowed to accumulate at the bottom of the <br />slope with the overflow running to other portions of the underground workings. Return <br />water will be recovered by pump located north of the Prep Plant and piped to the Prep Plant <br />for reuse. Slurry will be pumped at a maximum rate of 700 gallons per minute with Return <br />water being pumped at the comparable liquid percentage to allow for makeup water in the <br />plant. A second set of pipes will be installed to provide a backup system should the pipes or <br />pumps malfunction or be taken out of service for maintenance. The existing belt press <br />system will be retained in the Prep Plant for additional backup in the event that the system is <br />out of service. <br />Areas to be backfilled will be operated in phases. The first phase will include the area in the <br />vicinity of the East Portal. Subsequent phases of the operations will include the West Portal <br />Area and the South Mains Area. It is anticipated that approximately seventy percent of the <br />mains will be filled with fine refuse at the completion of the project. The New Elk Mine is <br />currently abandoned and these proposed disposal operations will not affect underground <br />mining operations at the Golden Eagle Mine because that mine is in a different coal seam. <br />Because the New Elk <br />• <br />• <br />TR -53 2.05 -44b Revised 12/21/10 <br />