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MEMORANDUM, RE: POST MINING USES IN <br />COAL BASIN, PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO <br />1.0 History and Background. <br />By Robert Delaney <br />August 20, 1997 <br />Between 1956 and 1991, Mid - Continent Resources, Inc. <br />(MCR) mined and shipped approximately 22,000,000 tons high grade <br />metallurgical coal to steel mills in California, Utah, Texas and <br />Pacific Rim counties, including Korea and Japan. Coal was mined <br />from five mines with portals at 10,000 and 10,500 feet and <br />through twin adits extended from the surface approximately 15,000 <br />feet to intercept coal seams at depth. A network of about 15 <br />miles of service and haulage roads to the mine portals was <br />developed and used until activation of the twin adits. <br />The coal was mechanically cleaned and dried at a plant <br />located at the confluence of Coal Creek and Dutch Creek. <br />Extensive additional structures were built and used including <br />warehouses, automotive shops, bath house, offices, power lines, <br />substations and numerous other facilities. The coal was hauled <br />on a paved road from the Preparation Plant to Redstone, and then <br />on public highways to the Unit Train Loadout facility located one <br />and one -half miles East of Carbondale. <br />In the latter years of operation, approximately 400 <br />miners were employed, with approximately 150 ancillary employees <br />connected with haulage, supplies, construction and the like. <br />The mines operated on federal and fee lands under <br />Permit No. C -81 -017 issued by the Mined Land Reclamation Division <br />of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, federal coal <br />leases issued by the Bureau of Land Management, and Special Use <br />Permits for roads and surface areas on the national forest that <br />were utilized in the mining operation. <br />Reclamation was bonded to the MLRD, (now Division of <br />Minerals and Geology, DMG) for $3,000,000 secured by real estate <br />comprising primarily the Rock Dust Plant in Garfield County. <br />Mining stopped in January, 1991 and reclamation on No. 5 Mine was <br />