_INSPECTION - C1980007 (14) - Laserfiche WebLink

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July 26,2012 C-1980-007/West Elk Mine JRS PROCESSING WASTE/COAL MINE WASTE PILES (cont.)—Once the stockpile has been removed,Mike Peacock indicated that West Elk would be excavating some of the material that is already spread and compacted on the RPE and running it through the wash plant. In the area that will be excavated there is assumed to be an 80%recovery rate. The remaining refuse will be replaced into the hole and recompacted. There will obviously be a large void in the RPE where the clean coal used to be. This hole will be used to place refuse during the winter months when the road to the RPEE is impassable. The reclaimed portions of the RPE are well vegetated and remain stable. The small slide area that was along the east side of the RPE(as noted in inspection reports this past spring and early summer)remains stable. -As noted above,the operator was hauling, spreading and compacting refuse from the RPE stockpile to the RPEE. They are currently working on the second lift of pile. The first lift of the pile was well graded and appeared to be stable. Mike Peacock indicated that they probably won't cover and seed this first lift this year. They are still waiting for a report from Barr Engineering regarding the Phase IB,Phase II and Phase III buttresses at the pile. Based on what the report finds,West Elk may submit a revision plan to the Division for the pile and may add additional refuse to the first few lifts. The second lift was also well graded and appeared to be stable. There appeared to be positive drainage off of the pile and there was no water pooling at the time of the inspection. The operator will be extending the underdrain up the valley several hundred feet to allow for the placement of additional refuse. At that point they will install a lateral drain to the west to intercept any seeps and direct them into the underdrain,rather than allowing them to flow uncontrolled into and through the RPEE. The operator was also continuing to work on the clean water and storm water ditches below the RPEE buttress. As noted in last month's inspection report,there is a large "chunk"of material on the cut slope above this ditch(below the rock buttress)that appears ready to fall off. If this happens it will probably fill in the ditches. West Elk should consider attempting to remove this material in a controlled manner,on their terms,rather than waiting for it to fall on its own and create a possible problem. West Elk has completed the installation of the inclinometers they were working on during the Division's last inspection. The two inclinometers are along the toe of the first lift adjacent to the colluvial fill. They have also constructed a short road spur from HR-I to the top of the Phase IA rock buttress. ROADS—Rule 4.03 Construction 4.03.1(3)/4.03.2(3)Drainage 4.03.1(4)/4.03.2(4) Surfacing and Maintenance4.03.1(5) and(6)/4.03.2(5) and(6)Reclamation 4.03.1(7)/4.03.2(7): -The haul road to the RPE was well maintained and stable at the time of the inspection. There was no rutting or erosion noted on the road. -The HR-1 portion of the haul road to the RPEE was stable and well maintained at the time of the inspection. The operator recently applied MgCI to the road and they were actively watering it during the inspection. Even though they were running two haul trucks,there was no problem with fugitive dust noted. There was no rutting and no erosional problems were noted with the haul road. Mike Peacock indicated that West Elk would be extending the haul road up the draw several hundred feet to allow for future refuse placement above the current lift. Number of Partial Inspection this Fiscal Year: 1 Number of Complete Inspections this Fiscal Year: 0 Page 3 of 8