REV12086

• Permit No: C1980007
• IBM Index Class Name: Revision
• Doc Date: 4/19/1989
• Doc Name: MT GUNNISON 1 MINE MID TERM REVIEW GEOTECHNICAL ASPECTS PN C-80-007
• From: MLRD
• To: MATT HAYES
• Type & Sequence: MT2
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

:.
III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
STATE OF COLOR~v
Roy Romer, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
MINED LAND RECLAMATION DIVISION
FRED R. BANTA, Director
DATE: April 19, 1989
T0: Matt Hayes
f'' -
FROM: Jim Pendleton
RE: Mt. Gun on No. ine - Mid-Term Review - Geotechnical Aspects
(Permit #C-80-007)
In response to your request, I have completed a mid-term review of the
geotechnical aspects of the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 underground coal mine. I have
closely monitored West Elk Coal's progress concerning geotechnical topics,
such as the lower waste pile construction, landslide occurrence and control,
and subsidence control and monitoring. I have not discerned arty problems
which require remedy through the mid-term review process.
Lower Waste Pile
The lower waste pile is being constructed in accordance with the approved
plan. Because of the occasional high waste generation from the F-Seam, the
rate of waste placement has exceeded the rate previously projected in the
approved application. It is because of this F-Seam coal quality problem that
West Elk is planning imminent submission of a permit revision to obtain
permission to mine coal from the C-Seam. Because of the accelerated rate of
waste placement, the expected life of the waste pile has decreased. The
applicant could amend that pile life projection as a portion of its C-Seam
permit revision process. The applicant also has a second, preliminarily
approved, upper waste pile site plan, located on a topographic bench above and
west of the portals.
Landslide Occurrence and Control
The original permit application delineates areas of suspected slope
instability within the approved permit area. A number of local landslides
have occurred within the surface facility area since construction of the mine
facilities. While these landslides have been operational problems for West
Elk, they have not presented any permit compliance problems. The applicant
has responded appropriately to all Division directives involving the treatment
and reclamation of landslide areas.
215 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street Denver, Colorado 80203-2273 Tel. [phone]