2012-03-29_INSPECTION - C1981012

Home Browse Search

Field Evaluation Mine Site Inspection Mine Name: New Elk Mine Permittee: New Elk Coal Company LLC Permit ID #: C -1981 -012 Inspection Date: 3/7/2012 8:15 — 5:00, 3/8/2012 9:15 — 4:00 Weather Conditions: Cold, windy, snow cover on Thursday Participants: Christine Belka, Office of Surface Mining (OSM) Badge ID #182 Janet Binns, Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety (DRMS) Bobby Steele, New Elk Coal Company (NEC) This was a complete oversight inspection. New Elk is an active underground mine with a remote coal storage and rail loadout facility to the east ( "Jansen Loadout "). Jansen Loadout: NEC is able to stockpile approximately 25,000 yds of coal at the Jansen Loadout. NEC has stockpiled coal on -site and hopes to make its first shipment via the Kern Valley Railroad next week. The entire loadout area is a small area exemption (SAE). Sumps are employed to control runoff, no sedimentation ponds are located in the area. The Railroad plans to raise the road adjacent to the rail line. Robinson trucking (contractor) stockpiled gravel in the area for use in raising the road. NEC will need to revise its reclamation bond to include the cost of removing this additional road base material. The northern perimeter of the coal stockpile location is contained by a push wall and fence. Small amounts of coal have escaped the push wall and are lying in between the wall and the property boundary berm / chain link fence (see photo 6520). NEC must clean up this coal and repair the perimeter berm to prevent offsite impacts. Coal fines escaping the east end of the permit area are presumed to be the result of prior permittee activities (see 6522). NEC has not shipped coal yet and the east end of the Loadout is higher than the stockpile. Runoff would not flow from the stockpile to the east end of the permit area. We stressed the importance of maintaining good sediment control in the area, especially when they start loading trains. Several breaches in the sediment control berms need to be repaired. Disturbed area markers are inconsistent with mapped locations. After closer inspection, we believe the sumps on the north side of the train loading area are outside of the permit area. Drainage must be routed to sumps within the permit area, and disturbance area markers must mark the actual boundary of the area approved for disturbance. Apache Canyon: The reclaimed drill pad has very sparse vegetation but does not exhibit signs of erosion. NEC has temporarily sealed the Apache Canyon Airshaft 1 but could remove the concrete cap and reopen the vent if necessary. The south vent (Apache Canyon Airshaft 2) is fenced and operational, although little draw was audible. The fence is grounded for lightening protection. Mine Facilities Area Ongoing Activities: NEC is currently implementing its approved development waste disposal area (DWDA #2) expansion. Mine development waste is placed here and compacted in approximately 2' lifts.