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III IIIIIIIIIIIII III 999 Miners S;, l9 9 re-enter Oxbow Hy Robyn FunY Sldtl Writer Crews re-entered the Sanborn Creek Mine at Oxbow Mining Inc, on Tues- day, May 11, after nearly four months after evacuating the mine because of a possible fire. "Most of the equipment we have run into is in pretty good shape;' said Walt Wright, mine manager. "There is no apparent damage to the longwall" Because of this recovery effort, about 100 of Oxbow's 177 employees have been recalled to work. "We are calling back a few each day;' Wright said. Most of the workers are mechanics, electricians and [nine rescue teams. In March 101 employees were laid off. • The mine was settled Jan. 27 when a mine foreman found elevated levels of carbon monoxide in a bleeder entry. Thousands of gallons of water from the North Fork River were pumped into the mine to recover the mine It will probably take crews about a month until the mine is restored, but it is a good start, Wright said. Reven[ilation of the mine began May 8 as crews started clearing debris from the shaft of one fan and restarted anoth- erfan. The west end of the mine has not been examined, and cannot be until the ventilation fan circulating air to that section is turned back on, Wright said. Somerset Coal Mine to expa production By Ter~aa 9alea -~ - Smtl WrAer A proposed land use change by Somerset Coal Mine, iC approved, will significantly increase produc- tion a[ the mine, which currently employs 92 people. A public hearing has been set for Friday, Feb. 18, at the Gunnison County Courthouse to hear public comment on the application, which would expand production capabili- ties oC the Sanborn Creek Mine. Walt Wright, Somerset mine manager, said the company plants to buy new continuous miner equip- ment which would improve under- ground efficiency of the operation. He estimated the new equip- ment will increase the number of employees minimally (about four to five new people) but the projected increase in produc- tion is major -from approxi- mately 800,000 tons to 1.3 mil- lion tons per year. The application indicates that the number of trains loading and hauling coal resources will increase from approximately 100 to 160 trains per year. Wright indicated that Somerset management is excited about the proposed changes and the in- creased production the new equip- ment will generate.