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.*O�'040000'0- <br />'00'0.00 <br />I0` <br />OXBOW MINING, LLC <br />3737 Hwy 133 P.O. Box 535 Somerset, Colorado 81434 USA Tel (970)929 -5122 Fax <br />(970)929 -5177 <br />March 13, 2013 <br />Mr. Brock Bowles <br />Environmental Protection Specialist <br />Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 215 <br />Denver, Colorado, 80203 <br />Re: Oxbow Mining LLC, Permit No. C- 1981 -022 - Request for MR -104 — Additional utility <br />boreholes for mine recovery efforts. <br />Dear Mr. Bowles, <br />Oxbow Mining, LLC requests a Minor Revision No. 104 to Permit C- 1981 -022. The purpose of the <br />MR is to provide for five utility boreholes to access and monitor the mine atmosphere during the <br />mine recovery effort and one mine dewater borehole. These boreholes are considered emergency <br />boreholes as they are necessary to facilitate the safe recovery of the longwall equipment once our <br />miners enter the presently sealed mine areas. The boreholes will be used by Oxbow and MSHA to <br />monitor the mine atmosphere during recovery operations. A dewater borehole may be necessary to <br />remove water from the mine that would likely be interfering with ventilation of the mine. All of the <br />boreholes are needed to insure a safe working environment during the mine recovery. <br />Background <br />As the Division is aware, due to the detection of gases in the Elk Creek Mine that indicated heating <br />activity behind the current longwall operation, the mine has been evacuated, disconnected from <br />power and is currently operating under plans approved by MSHA. <br />Temporary seals have been constructed to isolate the affected area of the mine. Oxbow has injected <br />inert gasses into the mine to create an inert atmosphere. Once the mine atmosphere is inert and the <br />area has cooled for approximately 100 days, MSHA will approve reentry into the mine to remove <br />the longwall equipment. We anticipate that reentry could begin in mid -May 2013. Once the <br />longwall is removed, permanent seals will be installed to permanently isolate the affected areas. <br />Proposal <br />Oxbow proposes six (6) utility boreholes: Please see the attached Map 2.05 -M1, Sheet 6 of 6, <br />General Facilities — Gobvent Boreholes for the location of the boreholes. <br />Five (5) of the boreholes (TGBMPA, HGBMP, HGA, TGA, and 5B) are mine atmosphere <br />monitoring boreholes that will intersect the mine workings. Within each of these boreholes, plastic <br />tubing will be hung which will be capable of drawing pumped samples of mine atmosphere for <br />• Page 1 <br />