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ff III IIIIIIIIIIIII III Doc Date:12/11/2001 <br />s l~ <br />~-7 2.06 REQUIREMENTS FOR PERMITS <br />FOR SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF MINING ~~ <br />2.06.1 SCOPE <br />This section establishes the minimum requirements for permits for special categories of surface <br />coal mining and reclamation operations which are in addition to the other applicable requirements <br />of Rule 2. <br />2.06.2 EXPERIMENTAL PRACTICES MINING <br />LCC does not plan to engage in any experimental mining practices at the Lorencito Canyon Mine. <br />2.06.3 MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL MINING <br />Mountaintop removal mining means surface mining activities, where the mining operation removes <br />an entire coal seam or seams running through the upper fraction of a mountain, ridge, or hill by <br />removing substantially all of the overburden off the bench and creating a level plateau or gently <br />rolling contour which is capable of supporting post mining land uses. Mountaintop removal is <br />planned at the Lorencito Canyon Mine in the surface mine area. Plans for mining are discussed <br />• in Section 2.05.3. Post mining land uses are also described and have been approved by the <br />landowner. <br />2.06.4 STEEP SLOPE MINING <br />LCC intends to use Mountaintop removal mining methods in Upper Jeff Canyon and contour <br />mining methods in Lorencito Canyon. The contour operations will involve steep slopes and will <br />be conducted in accordance with the steep slope performance standards in 4.27.3. <br />Spoil, waste materials, clearing and grubbing debris, and abandoned equipment will not be <br />allowed on the downslope, unless in approved, designated sites. Areas will be mined to a highwall <br />of 50 to 100 ft high, depending on coal thickness, and will be reclaimed to approximate original <br />contour. Excavated material will be back-hauled and placed in slopes no steeper than 2.5 H: l .OV <br />and more typically 3.OH:1.OV to assure stability and revegetation success. At these grades, the <br />slopes will be stable with a factor of safety exceeding 1.3 (ref. CTL/Thompson geotechnical <br />report). <br />To achieve approximate original contour and stable slopes, LCC will use a dozer along the top of <br />the highwall to blend the backfilled areas with undisturbed ground; however, this should result in <br />very little disturbance above the highwall. LLC requests a variance under 4.27.4 for this purpose. <br />~ P~,~~ <br />2.06-1 (revised 05/22/01) <br />