2013-02-19_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981014

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Southfield C1981014: MT6 8 February 19, 2013 EFCI actively mined the Southfield Mine until it went into temporary cessation on December 18, 2000. In a letter dated May 30, 2001, EFCI provided further detail of its temporary cessation, pursuant to Rule 4.30.1(2). The mine has been reclaimed and the surface facility areas have undergone a Phase I Bond Release (SL -02). All environmental monitoring activities will continue until final bond release. Description of both the operation and reclamation plan can be found in Section 2.05.3 of Volume 1 and Section 2.05.4 of Volume 2 respectively, in the permit application package. A brief description of each follows. Operation Plan Coal was mined, washed, stockpiled and then trucked from the mine site to market. Coal mine waste was disposed of in a permitted refuse pile located at the mine site. The refuse pile has been covered with a minimum of four feet of nontoxic, noncombustible material and topsoil and has been reseeded. Coal was mined by the room and pillar method, using continuous miners. Coal was transported from the working sections of the mine to the surface by a belt conveyor, and then dumped in a raw coal stockpile. Raw coal was sized, crushed and cleaned by gravity separation in a preparation plant at the mine site. A belt press was then used to dry the coal prior to transferring the coal to stockpiles where it was eventually trucked off site. A coal loadout facility existed approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Florence. This area had been used for coal loading and other activities prior to 1985 when it was purchased by EFCI. Reclamation Plan Following cessation of mining operations at the Southfield Mine, the site was reclaimed in accordance with the reclamation plan found in the permit document. All support facilities were removed from the site or buried on site in designated areas. The portals were sealed and the area was then graded so as to return it to approximate original contour. Ponds 1, 2 and 3 have been removed as part of the initial reclamation performed at the mine. Ponds 4 and 5 and the associated ditches will be removed upon demonstration of successful revegetation, except the refuse pile ditches which are to be retained as permanent features. With the approval of Technical Revisions 15 and 32, designs have been submitted, reviewed and approved to allow the Magpie Creek diversion to be permanent. The disturbed areas have been covered with topsoil and seeded and mulched so as to establish a diverse self - perpetuating stand of vegetation. Both drill and broadcast seeding methods were used at the site to re- establish vegetation.