2012-02-13_REVISION - C1981012 (8)

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Mining in the Blue Seam began at the end of 2011 when the rock slopes from the Bates Portal were complete. Two sets of seven entry east mains will advance about 1.5 miles to the permit boundary. Panels will be developed to the south off of the east mains. Mining will then turn south with two sets of seven entry south mains. The south mains are approximately two and one half miles long. Panels will be developed to the east and west off of the south mains. Partial pillaring is performed in the panels that vary in length from about 2,000 to over 5,000 feet. A short panel north of the east mains will be developed and pillared. Entries will be driven to a future ventilation shaft. The Blue Seam Mine plan is shown on a separate view port on Map 3 since nearly the entire Blue Seam Mine plan is underlain by future workings in the Apache and Allen Seams. No secondary mining is planned in any area where protection from subsidence of surface structures is required. Production estimates are dependent on demand and system capacity and may be adjusted to economic conditions in the coal industry. In the early years, coal will be trucked to the Jansen Yard loadout for transfer to rail. Clean coal production greater than 3.0 million tons annually is expected to facilitate re- establishing rail transportation to the mine site. (1) Production, Methods and Equipment Mining commenced at the end of 2011 and is projected to reach an annual rate of 3,000,000 tons per year during 2012. Mining equipment will consist of a continuous miners, diesel and/or electric shuttle car haulage to a feeder breaker placing coal onto conveyor belt haulage in each section. Coal will be transported to the surface by conveyor belt. (2) Description of Surface Operations The surface facilities associated with the New Elk Mine are show on Map 11 —Sheet 1 East Portal Roads, Slope Track and Cut Areas, Map 11 —Sheet 2 East Portal Utilities, Map 11-- Sheet 3 Facilities, and Map 12 Surface Facilities and Roads West Portal. The surface disturbance boundary is also shown on these maps. The New Elk mining operations began in 1952 and the majority of surface facilities are built on development refuse used as fill in the River Valley. Construction and placement of some of the surface facilities took place prior to August 3, 1977. Major exceptions include the preparation plant and associated facilities, sediment ponds, and Apache Canyon airshafts Individual facilities are indicated on Table 19 Surface Facilities List and shown on Maps 11 and 12. Reclamation of these facilities is discussed in subsequent sections of this document. Raw coal will be transported by conveyor belt to a raw coal stockpile. Raw coal will either be loaded onto trucks or fed via conveyor belt into the preparation plant. Clean coal will be transported from the plant to the clean coal storage stockpile via a conveyor belt. The processed coal will be loaded onto trucks from the stockpile using a front -end loader and shipped via Highway 12 to the Jansen Yard. Clean coal may also be stored in the existing coal silos and loaded directly to trucks or with the front -end loader. The projected increase beyond three million tons will require the reinstallation of rail to the mine site. A new unit train loadout will be constructed. These changes are not anticipated to result in an increase in disturbed area and will be addressed in a permit revision. Coal refuse is disposed of permanently by conveying it to the RDA. The RDA facility is described in detail in the later sections of this permit application. Development waste is disposed of in a Development Waste Disposal Area (DWDA) located south of Highway 12. The waste material is similar in nature to other development waste previously stockpiled on site. Experience on site dictates that the makeup of these materials and the analysis of the coal is not indicative of the PR04 2.05 -3a Revised 02/29/11