JUNE 1976
OEA76-1
MINING
IN THE
NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS
UNITED STATES
AN INTRODUCTION AND INVENTORY UTILIZING AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
COLLECTED IN 1974-75
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
ROCKY MOUNTAIN - PRAIRIE REGION
REGION VIII
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SURFACE COAL MINING IN THE
NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS OF THE
WESTERN UNITED STATES
An Introduction and Inventory Utilizing Aerial Photography
Collected in 1974 and 1975
June, 1976
Prepared by:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
* Off ice of Energy Activities*
Region VIII, Denver, Colorado
* Off ice of Energy, Minerals, and Industry*
Office of Research and Development
Washington, D.C.
Assisted by:
* Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory*
Las Vegas, Nevada
*States of North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana*
Report Cooperatively Funded by:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Denver, Colorado and Washington, D.C.
Old West Regional Commission
Billings, Montana
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Surface Environment and Mining Program
Billings, Montana
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PREFACE
Approximately one half of the nation's coal resources, forty
percent of the now economically recoverable uranium resources, and
all of the present-day commercially feasible oil shale resources
are contained within a six state area of the western sector. This
six state area encompases the states of Colorado, Montana, North and
South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Also widespread in this area are
present and future energy resources in the form of oil, gas, "tight
gas", tar sands, geothermal, and hydropower developments. The exist-
ence of somewhat ideal conditions have led to experimentation in the
utilization of wind and solar power within the area - another immense
and virtually untapped resource. Major-scale energy initiations
dependent upon these resources are presently occurring and proposed.
Other valuable resources play equally important roles within
the six-state area. These resources include vast and fertile agri-
cultural lands, extensive wildlife habitat and production areas,
wild and scenic areas, national park areas, national forests, and
abundant natural beauty. The area is not industrialized. Settlement
has, however, been typically and greatly influenced by natural resource
developments within the area such as mining.
In order to establish the environmental datum and management
processes necessary for the orderly and sound development of the
area's immense energy resources, the EPA has established a regional
energy-environment program contained within the early stages of re-
gional planning. This report is one of a series that provides the
interested and concerned reader with a comprehensive understanding
for the meaning of near-future extraction of western national coal
resources. It is also hoped that this report will provide the pro-
per introduction to a tool in the field of environmentally managed
energy development - that of aerial color imagery. It is thought
that this aerial color imagery will experience increased and wide-
spread application.
We invite you to share with us your thoughts and experiences
as you read and utilize this report. We also wish to express our
sincere appreciation to all those public, industrial, and govern-
mental entities which helped so willingly in providing information.
ooper H. Wayman, Direct
Office of Energy Activities
Jon * Green
Regional Administrator
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables, Plates, and Figures ................................ iii
Abstract [[[ v
Chapter 1 Introduction and Background .............................. 1
Chapter 2 Coal in the Western United States ........................ 4
Chapter 3 Coal Mining Methods in the Western United States ......... 9
Chapter 4 Characteristic Responses of Aerial Photography .......... 18
Chapter 5 Inventory of Surface Coal Mines in the Northern
Great Plains .......................................... 21
5-1 Dave Johnston Mine ............................... 23
5-2 East Antelope Mine ............................... 29
5-3 Belle Ayr South Mine ............................. 33
5-4 Wyodak Mine ...................................... 39
5-5 Welch Strip Mine ................................. 45
5-6 Big Horn Mine .................................... 49
5-7 Decker No.l Mine ................................. 56
5-8 Sarpy Creek (Absaloka) Mine ...................... 62
5-9 Big Sky Mine ..................................... 67
5-10 Rosebud Mine ..................................... 73
5-11 Savage Mine ...................................... 81
5-12 Peerless (Gascoyne) Mine ......................... 87
5-13 Lehigh (Husky) Mine .............................. 92
5-14 Center Mine ...................................... 96
5-15 Glenharold Mine ................................. 101
5-16 Beulah North & South Mine ....................... 107
5-17 Indian Head Mine ................................ 113
5-18 Underwood Mine .................................. 118
5-19 Velva Mine ...................................... 120
5-20 Noonan Mine ..................................... 125
5-21 Highland Uranium Mill & Mine .................... 131
Chapter 6 Satellite Imagery ...................................... 134
C hapter 7 Acknowl edgements ....................................... 1 42
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LIST OF TABLES, PLATES, AND FIGURES
NUMBER
TABLES
TITLE
PAGE
1 Comparison of Three Great Plains Coals With
Other U.S. Coal s 6
2 General Specifications of Imagery Aquisition
Systems 20
3 Aerial Distribution of Land Use - Dave John-
ston Mine 136
PLATES
1 Location of Operating Surface Mines in the
Northern Great Plains 1974-75 (BACK POUCH)
2 Dave Johnston Mine 27
3 Dave Johnston Mine 28
4 East Antelope Mine 32
5 Belle Ayr Mine 37
6 Belle Ayr Mine 38
7 Wyodak Mine 43
8 Wyodak Mine 44
9 Welch Strip Mine 48
10 Big Horn No. 1 Mine 54
11 Big Horn No. 1 Mine 55
12 Decker No. 1 Mine 60
13 Decker No. 1 Mine 61
14 Absaloka Mine 66
15 Big Sky Mine 71
16 Big Sky Mine 72
17 Rosebud Mine 77
18 Rosebud Mine 79
19 Rosebud Mine 80
20 Savage Mine 84
21a Savage Mine 85
21b Savage Mine 86
22 Peerless Mine 91
23 Lehigh Strip Mine 95
24 Center Mine 100
25 Glenharold Mine 105
26 Glenharold Mine 106
27a Beulah South Mine Ill
m
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27b Beulah North Mine 112
28 Indian Head Mine 117
29 Underwood Mine 119
30 Velva Mine 124
31 Noonan Mine 129 &130
32 Highland Mine 132
33 Highland Mine 133
FIGURES
1 Revegetation of Dave Johnston Mine 137
2 Satellite Image of Dave Johnston Mine 138
3 Classification Map of Dave Johnston Mine 139
4 A Comparison of Dave Johnston Mine
Classification Maps 140
1v
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ABSTRACT
Color aerial photography collected in 1974 and 1975 is presented to
portray 21 surface coal mines and one surface uranium mine located in the
Northern Great Plains Coal Province of Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
Geologic, hydrologic, engineering, operational, and other data are also
presented. Through a brief description of surface coal mining operations,
the uses of aerial photography, both color and color infrared, are introduced
as tools for planning and regulating surface coal mining and secondary
impacts thereof. A brief synopsis and example of a related effort involving
satellite imagery is provided. The report provides a basis for planning
and assessing surface mining of minerals in the interior western states.
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
This report is one of a series published dealing with coal mining
by the Environmental Protection Agency. Previous reports have dealt
with acid mine drainage most typical of many Eastern and Midwestern
coal mines. More recently, the Agency has been involved in the full
spectrum of pollution control activities surrounding energy development
and has concentrated significant effort in assisting other Federal and
State authorities in developing standards of performance that provide
greater assurance that coal mining will be conducted in a manner that
insures environmental protection. In so doing, the EPA believes it is
important that the public understands the technology applicable to
mining coal, the options and trade-offs available when planning and
operating a coal mine, and the ramifications of preventing pollution
from coal mines. This activity within the EPA involves responsibilities
of the Office of Energy, Minerals, and Industry, Office of Research
and Development and the Office of Energy Activities, Office of the
Regional Administrator (Denver). It also involves responsibilities
of water and enforcement-related programs.
Land disturbance caused by surface coal mining has potential for
significant impacts in the form of sediments washed into streams of
the affected watershed. As a result, sediment loads are increased.
Exploration activities, haul and access roads, housing and service
facilities all can disturb the land surface to a sufficient degree
so as to increase sediment loads. Such activities can also expose
sufficient soil and disturbed geologic strata and thereby create
a larger potential for dust problems. Earth materials previously
buried and compacted are broken and exposed to weathering. In
the East and Midwest, lands disturbed by coal mining are exposed to
high annual rainfalls which erode the lands and oxidize sulfur
compounds contained in the coal beds. Where high concentrations
of iron sulfide exist, these weathering processes may result in the
creation of acid waters. Western coals are not generally associated
with deposits of iron sulfides and acid drainage does not generally
occur. High annual rainfall facilitates fast vegetative growth which
in turn can stabilize the disturbed areas and hasten the formation of
organic material in the surface materials. In the coal-rich plains and
mountain foothills of the Western United States, average annual precipi-
tation of six to twenty inches* somewhat reduces the total erosion and
*Approximate average annual total (rain and snow) precipitation in
areas in which coal is currently mined using surface mining methods.
If on the order of 30% of the total annual precipitation is in the
form of snow, much of this snow-moisture will be evaporated in the
semi-arid climate as the result of sublimation. It is not, therefore,
available to vegetation.
1
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acid-forming potential from pyrites in coal, but makes it difficult
for vegetation to grow. In an often confusing manner then, the pre-
cipitation-related reduction in erosion potential in the West is
"compensated" for by the resulting sparseness of vegetative cover in
terms of stabilizing soils, making the sediment problem as
important in the West as the East.
From this brief discussion, it easily follows that vegetation is
important in mined land reclamation since successful establishment of
vegetation on disturbed lands stabilizes those lands. Such stabili-
zation reduces sediment yields in a manner that can require a minimum
of caretaking by the mine operator after mining. That caretaking can
involve maintenance of sediment catchment basins, reshaping the land
surface, maintaining drainage diversion systems, mulching, and so on.
It is equally apparent that pre-mining environmental assessment and
comprehensive operation controls are key elements in assuring that coal
mining in any region is environmentally acceptable.
Housing and service facilities for the mines, if improperly sited
and constructed, can also cause water and air pollution. Transportation
systems have high potentials for interfering with man's and wildlife
activities. Thus, mechanisms such as aerial imagery that help to identify
geologic and hydrologic hazards (e.g., landslides and floods), soils and
vegetative systems, and hydrologic interrelationships facilitate the
pre-activity planning and design necessary to mitigate and avoid these
potential pollution problems.
This report addresses the tool of aerial imagery*, often included
under the term of "remote sensing"**, principally as a mechanism to
assist with planning and regulation of surface mining for coal. Aerial
imagery provides a status report on numerous characteristics of mined
land such as surface water hydrology, soil types, vegetative species
and their condition, shallow ground water hydrology as it affects the
surface ecosystem"1", physical modifications of the land surface caused
by man, including changes in topography, and so on. This document, in
presenting aerial imagery, provides a view of a spectrum of effects of
*Aerial imagery refers to acquisition of information on film and is
limited here to recording reflectance of electromagnetic radiation in
the visible and near infrared ranges.
**Remote sensing is the acquisition of information by a recording device
that is not in close proximity to the phenomenon under study.
^Surface ecosystem includes in this context principally the vegetative
species dependent upon shallow ground water and the soil or rock at the
surface. In the total sense, however, the phrase encompasses the terres-
trial biological system which contains vegetation, soils, vertebrates,
invertebrates, and thus includes man as he interacts with that system.
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surface coal mining, not the least of which is the visible effect on
water quality. The characteristic responses of the aerial imagery
presented are discussed in a later section. Ongoing research in this
area is sponsored by the EPA at its Environmental Monitoring and Sup-
port Laboratory, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Aerial imagery is a useful means not only in the identifica-
tion of reclamation activities in terms of topographic changes and via-
bility of the vegetative ecosystem, but also in laying out a mining
plan in a readily understandable format, with geologic data and up-
to-date land surface information included in the imagery.
This report is also issued to relay selected information that
various agencies have obtained over the past four years in the course
of visits to surface coal mines. We feel strongly that it is necessary
to describe reclamation activities in the same breath as one describes
mining activities. It is both difficult and inappropriate to separate
the planning for and operation of a coal mining operation from the
reclamation of disturbed lands of a coal mine. For example, as a drag-
line removes rock laying over the coal, at which point does the dumping
of that rock become reclamation? Further, surface mining of coal is
viewed as a temporary imposition on other land uses. Therefore, re-
clamation of the land to a post-mining land use has to be an integral
part of the mining plan. Lastly, the method of mining dictates the
type and cost of reclamation (and vice-versa). Thus, this report pre-
sents data reflecting both mining and reclamation.
We have also found that the aerial imagery is invaluable when trying
to assess the implications of proposed legislation or regulations on
existing surface mining operations. It is equally useful in assessing
the possible effects of planned operations.
Sometimes, it is equally rewarding to view the photography and
just enjoy it. We invite you to use your imagination as well as your
technical expertise as you proceed.
One last note of caution: most of the imagery presented was
collected in 1974. A lesser amount was collected in mid-1975.
Production of coal from the Northern Great Plains has increased
significantly since then. Activities have changed. You should not,
therefore, expect the imagery to accurately reflect current status
of the mines. Nor should one expect the statistical information to
accurately describe the current status. Larger areas have been
mined and larger areas have been graded and seeded.
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CHAPTER 2
COAL IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES
The mines shown in this report lie within the Northern Great
Plains Coal Province as that geographical area is defined by geologists.
As such, the whole province includes all coal in Western North Dakota,
coal occurring in the Missouri River drainage and East of the Rocky
Mountains of Montana and Wyoming, coal in Western South Dakota, coal
in the Denver Basin of Colorado and Raton Mesa of Colorado, and Eastern
New Mexico. The information presented was derived from surface mines
operating in the shallow coals of lignite and sub-bituminous rank occurring
principally in Western North Dakota, Eastern Montana and Eastern Wyoming.
Time has not permitted acquisition of equivalent information for Colorado,
New Mexico, or Western Wyoming, but the aerial imagery methodology
portrayed for the northern mines is equally applicable to surface mines
in those areas as well as in Southern Utah and Arizona. The discussions
center on the mining of coals that lie within about 60 meters (200 feet)
of the land surface.
In excess of 1.5 trillion tons of coal are estimated to lie at all
depths within this entire province. About 10 percent of this total
amount is actually measured or at least strongly indicated by local
measurements, and is also considered mineable; about 30 percent inferred
(based on geologic studies), but not considered recoverable; and the
remaining 60 percent only hypothesized (based on the statistical prin-
ciples of geology and coal exploration). The 10 percent "actually
measured or strongly indicated," or so-called "mineable reserve base,"
equals 160 billion tons and presently represents 37 percent (by weight)
of the Nation's coal reserve base. Of this 160 billion tons, half is
located within the Northern Great Plains such that mining by surface
methods* is feasible. Assuming an 80 percent recovery during mining
of this 80 billion tons, 64 billion tons of surface mineable coal might
presently (1976) be considered "available" or as a "recoverable
resource" using current mining and processing techniques, current
economic criteria, and assuming that mining is permitted.
One must keep in mind that the estimated quantities of recoverable
coal resources change as exploration and mining proceed. Over the last
few years, the estimates of recoverable coal in the West have risen,
primarily as the result of data obtained from increased exploration
*The feasibility of surface mining is related to the thickness, quality
and depth of a coal bed. Thin coal beds are economical to mine if they
lie near the surface; the thicker the coal bed, the deeper the mine can
be. Presently Northern Great Plains coals within 60 meters of the land
surface, if thicker than about 2 meters, may be considered minable by
surface mining techniques. A discussion of the standard classifications
of coal resources is contained in Appendix I.
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and more comprehensive analysis of existing information and to some
undertermined degree as a result of rises in market prices for coal.
However, there is still only a limited amount of information available
to accurately estimate the quantity and quality of shallow western
coals throughout the Northern Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain
Coal Province.
It is also noteworthy that the quantity of coal resource is none-
theless much more accurately estimated than is the quality. Coal of
the Northern Great Plains, as it comes from the mines, differs in several
aspects from many eastern coals.
- Sulfur content as percent by weight is often lower averaging
perhaps 0.6 percent and ranging from 0.1 percent to 4.0 percent
in the coals presently mined. Sulfur is organic and inorganic
(pyrite, marcasite). The relative percentage of organic sulfur
tends to be high in low sulfur coal-s.
- Ash content is moderate, ranging to almost 20 percent, but
averaging 7 percent.
- Water content is high, ranging to almost 45 percent and
averaging 30 percent.
- Heat content, on a run-of-mine basis, ranges from about 5,600
BTU per pound to 11,000 BTU per pound.
Table 1 provides some more detailed information, drawn from another
report, on the content of various elements in these coals. These data
are representative of coals presently mined and may not accurately reflect
the nature of coals that may be mined in the future.
Their low heat and low fixed carbon content place most of these
coals in the lignite and sub-bituminous ranking categories.* Since many
of the coals in the rest of the Nation are of higher BTU values, in
terms of heat content, the Northern Great Plains coal region does not
contain quite as high a percentage of the Nation's coal in terms of heat
value or energy as the tonnage figure of 37 percent previously noted
*Principal coal rank classifications -are lignite, sub-bituminous, bitum-
inous and anthracite. Heat content and fixed carbon tend to increase
from the lignites to the anthracites, while moisture content tends to
decrease. Coal is also classified by grade, which is a function of its
ash content, sulfur content, and content of other elements that affect
use. DeCarlo, J.A., Sheridan, E.T., and Murphy, Z.E., (1966 "Sulfur
Content of United States Coal": U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Cir-
cular 8312} indicate that sulfur content of bituminous coals is higher
than for higher or lower rank coals.
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TABLE I
Element
Sulfur
Mercury
Chlorine
Antimony
Fluorine
Selenium
Lead
Molybdenum
Nickel
Boron
Zinc
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Cobalt
Uranium
Arsenic
Silver
Barium
Beryllium
Vanadium
Aluminum
Calcium
Iron
Manganese
Magnesium
Titanium
BTU/lb(dry)
Ash (dry basis)
Moisture
Coal I
ppm
Ib/loSfiTU Dry Weight
760
0.014
4.6
0.056
15
0.23
0.44
0.42
0.95
5.4
2.5
0.019
2.2
3.6
0.22
0.14
0.087
0.0047
14
0.086
5.4
2420
1850
420
18
300
120
__
21700
38800
0.72%
0.13
44
0.53
140
2,2
4.2
4.0
9.0
51
24
0.18
21
34
2.1
1.3
0.83
0.045
130
0.82
51
2.3%
1.76%
0.40%
170
0.29%
1100
9511
20.6%
27.0%
Coal
lb/109BTU
420
0.012
0.80
0.014
5.7
0.14
0.20
0.055
0.18
2.6
0.35
<0.008
0.79
2.6
0.13
0.076
0.21
0.0041
39
0.025
1.7
610
930
180
2.0
130
48
6150
35200
II
ppm
Dry Weight
0.49%
0.14
9.4
0.16
67
1.6
2.3
0.64
2.1
31
4.1
< 0.1
9.3
31
1 .5
0.89
2.5
0.048
460
0.29
20
0.71%
1.09%
0.21%
24
0.15%
565
11708
7.2%
29.2%
Average of
Coal III (Illinois Basin)
„ ppm 82 Coals
lb/109BTU Drv Weioht Ib/lO^BTU
1460
0.0075
5.6
0.041
5.8
0.13
0.087
0.20
0.55
15
0.79
0.020
1.3
1 .1
0.076
0.15
0.81
0.0035
45
0.061
1.5
750
1400
760
8.0
380
35
12600
59300
1.44%
0.074
55
0.40
57
1.3
0.86
2.0
5.4
150
7.8
0.20
13
10.5
0.75
1.5
8.0
0.034
440
0.60
15
0.74%
1.38%
0.75%
79
0.37%
350
9838
12.4%
36.8%
2750
0.016
120
0.11
4.7
0.16
3.1
0.62
1.7
8.9
25
2.3
1.1
1.1
7.2
1.2
0.13
2.6
960
580
1610
4.2
39
47
8850
8730
Average of
(Illinois Basin)
82 Coals
Dry Weight
3.51%
0.21
0.15%
1.35
59.3
1.99
39.83
7.96
22.35
113.79
313.04
2.89 c
14.10
14.09
9.15
14.9
1.72
33.13
1.22%
0.74%
2.06%
53.16
0.05%
0.06%
12750
11.28%
10.02%
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suggests. If one adopted an average heat content for western coals
of 9,000 BTU per pound, and an average of 12,000 BTU per pound for
midwestern and eastern coals, the national coal energy reserve base,
on a BTU basis, for the Northern Great Plains would be on the order
of 30 percent. But then this does not reduce the demand for these
western coals and the low heat content is often compensated for by
a lower cost of mining the thick, shallow coals.
Coal was formed from thick and extensive accumulations of biological,
principally vegetative, matter buried through geologic time. Development
of the thick coal seams of the West required very large flooded areas
(swamps) which slowly subsided while growth of vegetation was optimal.*
The paleoenvironment often produced a cyclic sequence of sedimentary
strata, ideally consisting of coal overlain by marine shale and lime-
stone and underlain by a sequence consisting, in progressively deeper
manner, clay, fresh water argillaceous strata and sandstone and shale.**
Paleogeographic conditions for western coals have not been thoroughly
described. In general, the deeper the coal was buried through geologic
history, the higher its present-day heat content. Coals mined under-
ground are often of higher rank or sufficient quality to be used for
coke. The volatiles of the vegetative matter of coal are reduced by
the increased pressures and temperatures of burial. The fixed carbon
percentage increases commensurately. The higher rank coals tend to
occur in thinner beds and in deformed attitudes (folded and faulted).
The lower rank coals of the Northern Great Plains often occur in
horizontal to gently dipping beds. The Northern Great Plains coals,
especially those beds shallow enough to be considered surface mineable,
increase in rank from lignite to bituminous westward across the Province.
In the Rocky Mountain Coal Province, adjoining the Northern Great Plains
Province on the west, coal beds tend to have been folded as well as
buried deeper. The coal beds in the western part of the Northern Great
Plains Province are also generally thinner and a number of beds may oc-
cur in close proximity to each other. The number of beds is not, how-
ever, a function of coal rank, but rather of depositional conditions.
"Multiple seam (bed) surface mining" is practiced in western Wyoming,
Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona where individual coal beds, sequential-
ly mined, may be vertically separated by 10 meters (33 feet) or more.
*See "Final Environmental Impact Statement - Proposed Federal Coal
Leasing" pages 1-32 through 1-39 for a concise, useful description.
**The sequence lacks a limestone in western coals thereby leading to
questions as to the depositional environments that facilitated
formation of these western coals.
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8
In one western location, seven individual coal beds may be sequential-
ly mined.
Measured coal bed thicknesses have been reported to range up to
60 meters (200 feet) in the Northern Great Plains. However, it is
likely that any such "beds" contain partings* and therefore consist
of a number of coal beds, closely spaced in a stratigraphical or
vertical sense. The thickest coal bed mined presently is the Anderson
Canyon ("Wyodak") seam mined immedaitely east of Gillette, Wyoming,
comprised of two twelve-meter thick (40 feet) coal beds with only a
thin shaley parting in between for an aggregate thickness of twenty-
four meters of coal.
It may be useful to note that coal beds may thin out and end, may
split into more than one bed and then "regroup" into perhaps one bed
again. Coal bed nomenclature can thus become complex and it is not sur-
prising to find the same bed with different names and different beds with
the same name. The degree of confusion is inversely proportional to the
amount of exploration conducted.
Adding to the confusion is the extensive natural (in situ) burn-
ing of coals in Montana and Wyoming which results in loss of coal out-
crops and, possibly, subsidence of overlying shales and siltstone.
Lastly, the coals are more than occasionally faulted resulting in
challenges to mapping and correlations. Such discontinuities are com-
pounded by the divisions in land and mineral ownership and in leasing.
Conversely, the extensive outcrops of burned coal (clinker) and baked
clay and shale ("porcellanite") facilitate exploratory mapping of coal
seams and appear to play an important role in the shallow ground water
aquifer systems of Montana and Wyoming.
*Parting usually refers to a bed of shaley strata occurring between
two coals where the thickness of the shale is thinner than the coal.
In the West, this material tends to be saline and toxic to certain
vegetative species when present in thicknesses of more than a meter.
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CHAPTER 3
COAL MINING METHODS IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES
Surface coal mining methods are becoming better known as a result,
perhaps, of renewed national interest in coal. Surface mining can be
described as extraction of a mineral resource in a manner that first
requires removal of all earth materials that overlie the desired mineral
resource. The majority of coal mining in the Western United States
is surface mining. However, in western Colorado and in Utah, and thus,
in that portion of the Rocky Mountain Coal Province, underground mining
prevails. Surface mining is currently a highly efficient method of pro-
ducing coal from those vast coal deposits lying near the land surface.
Underground mining of those same coals is inefficient and dangerous.
However, our dependence upon underground mining will increase as the
shallow coals are removed.
The first stage of coal mine development, after certain entry rights
are acquired and whether subsequent extraction is by surface or under-
ground methods, is exploration. Despite the advanced age of the science
of geology and the high degree of knowledge of geologic mechanisms that
create coal, it remains necessary to conduct drilling, perform chemical
analysis, and implement other exploration procedures even prior to re-
moving relatively shallow coals. Exploration efforts are directed toward
determining the precise depths to coal, and locations, thickness and
quality of coal. To plan a safe and economic mine, the operator needs
to determine accurately the depth to coal and overburden characteristics
(the latter, for example, to determine roof strength in the case of an
underground mine and for blasting data in the case of the surface mine),
the quality of coal (which affects the mining sequence), its thickness,
and the rock conditions beneath the coal. Pre-mining determinations of
overburden strength are critical both for underground mining and are
essential for determining surface mining methods. Major overburden
removal equipment may be determined by the hardness of the overburden.
Detailed coal quality (BTU content, ash, sulfur, volatiles) varies
both vertically and horizontally within a single bed and from bed to
bed, so that mined coal may need to be blended to meet contract spec-
ifications. Coal may occur in lenses and thus disappear within a short
horizontal distance. A coal bed's location, thickness and depth cannot
be precisely predicted, and therefore, equipment specification dependent
on these data may not be finalized until exploration data are sufficient
to answer such questions. For example, it may be necessary to mine from
*At present, large surface coal mines in the western United States have
been located principally where an operator has first gained control of
the surface overlying coal through lease, agreement, or purchase. Only
then does there begin a detailed resource analysis.
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10
a number of individual pits in order to meet contract specifications
for coal quality and this may determine the size and the type of mining
equipment required.
Exploration procedures include interpretation of aerial imagery
and acquisition of geochemical and geophysical (seismic, electrical,
magnetic) data. As noted earlier, the purpose of exploration is to
define the resource and its surroundings to reduce the risk in develop-
ing the coal resource — to reduce the unknowns. The information is
used in planning the mining operation to meet applicable laws and regu-
lations.
Exploration activities usually involve the use of drilling rigs,
either truck or trailer mounted; in the region of western coals, such
rigs are equivalent to small water well drilling outfits with capa-
bilities to drill at least 80 meters (250 feet). Many drilling
operations use air and minimal water for drilling. The greatest poten-
tial that exploration activities hold for adverse impact on the land lies
in off-road travel. Truck and dozer trails are susceptible to erosion
and to future unauthorized use unless the vegetative (biological) sys-
tem is encouraged to return. In some isolated cases, improperly plugged
drill holes may serve to allow water under artesian pressure to escape
to the surface.
Exploratory drilling is being used to a greater extent to obtain
data on the occurrence of subsurface water at the mine site and to
subsequently determine the quality of overburden in terms of its
reclamation potential. In these cases', water and soil samples are
collected and analyzed to project the impact of surface mining and
reclamation on water quality in terms of the Teachability of overburden
and the ability of the overburden to maintain vegetation. This activity
has increased importance in surface mining of western coals because the
shallow coals are usually portions of locally-significant aquifers.
Exploration activities are also carried on after a mine is in
operation. This activity is principally "development drilling". In
the case of underground mines, most extensive development drilling
may be necessary prior to production. In the case of surface coal mines
in the western United States, pre-mining exploration activities generally
produce sufficient information to permit development of an accurate
mining plan for ten or more years of mining. In the case of the Exxon
Highland Uranium Mine located in eastern Wyoming and included in the
aerial photography of this report, development drilling is most exten-
sive druring mining and the surface result of close-spaced drilling shows
clearly on the imagery.
The surface mining process is often initiated on a new lease area
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11
in the western United States by excavation of a relatively small pit
from which a number of thousand tons of coal are extracted for a test
burn at a use or conversion point, usually a power plant. Access and
haul roads are then constructed for delivery of materials and later
transport of coal. At the same time, a rail spur may be constructed
if rail transport of coal is planned. Two or more large coal storage
silos will often be constructed (or a pit and shed) to store and protect
the coal. Also possible is the construction of a slurry pipeline and
associated preparation, water supply and pumping facilities. An early
use of a railroad spur is often for the delivery of a shovel and/or
dragline. The dragline and other large equipment is then constructed
on-site and takes on the order of a year to complete.
Using diesel-powered tractors, scrapers, or other conventional
earth-moving equipment, the first major earth-moving activity at a
surface mine is the removal of soil. For dragline operations, a
relatively flat bench must be created upon which the dragline operates.
This bench may not be a straight path, but will rather follow an area
of equal thickness of overburden or follow a route dictated by haul
routes, land ownership, quality of coal, or other factors. Certain
surface mining operations may not be required to preserve the unconsol-
idated soil. In these instances, a dozer may be used to level vege-
tation and soil so that stripping equipment has access to the overburden,
or the soils and vegetation may be moved as overburden using draglines.
In locations where soil is saved or segregated for replacement, scrapers
are employed. In select cases, front-end loaders or shovels and trucks
are used. On occasion, a dragline or large shovel may be used to move
soil separately.
This period is an extremely sensitive one in terms of erosion
potential of the disturbed soil and overburden. This sensitivity is
increased in areas of new mines where often the surface runoff diversions
and retention facilities are inadequate to control higher flows or pri-
cipitation events.
In most areas of the Northern Great Plains Coal Province, it is
necessary to prevent large amounts of runoff from reaching the mine pit.
Thus, diversion dams and ditches may be seen uphill from many of the mines,
Sedimentation ponds and discharge points are visible. Dust is no
stranger in western mining operations, even in these early stages of
mining such as soil removal. Under certain conditions, it becomes
possible to see, in aerial imagery, dust accumulations in patterns
downwind of the mining and hauling operations. Control measures such
as sprinkling are often visible in the aerial imagery. In some cases,
perennial streams are diverted around the areas to be mined.
The increased probability of this stream diversion activity has created
significant interest in obtaining a better understanding of stream
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12
dynamics during and after such diversions.
If the overburden is hard (indurated), it will be blasted prior to
removal using ammonium-nitrate and fuel oil packed in 8 to 30 centimeter
diameter holes drilled on 3 to 6 meter centers. The drill hole pattern is
often reflected in the aerial imagery. In mines such as the Belle Ayr South
Mine of AMAX Coal Company, overburden has not been blasted, but has been
removed directly by shovel and front-end loaders. Similar solutions
exist for removal of the coal. But it appears "normal" to blast the
overburden and coals prior to removal in the West. A bulk tank for
ammonium-nitrate is located on the mine site in most cases.
Removal of the overburden is often achieved using equipment called
a "dragline". The usual dragline is best described as "huge". Standing
perhaps 20 meters tall and with a higher boom, they suggest a drawworks
and maintenance shop, if not a house, on "wheels." Draglines operate by
pulling (toward the operator or away from the operator) on a bucket in
contrast to shovels which undercut by digging out away from the shovel
drawworks and up. Both large shovels and draglines are used almost ex-
clusively to handle overburden in the West. Draglines are generally
characterized by the capacity of the bucket and the "throwing" radius
within which the draglines can excavate and dump. This radius is
dictated by the length of the boom that supports the bucket. The boom
length must be scaled (inversely proportioned or otherwise strengthened
proportionally) to bucket capacity. The boom length also determines the
practical depth capabilities of the dragline. All of these dimensions
are affected by the type of overburden encountered and, in turn, certain
dimensions affect the method of overburden placement. More specifically,
hard overburden may require a reduction in boom length. A longer
boom may allow more selective placement of overburden material. The
latter is an important consideration since it permits material condu-
cive to plant growth to be segregated from potentially toxic spoils
with a minimum of rehandling and/or hauling. Today's large draglines
are "walking". The walking mechanism consists of a shaft, cam and
elongated pontoon-like box commonly called a "shoe" which moves up and
down. The shoe serves as the base for the cam-jacking arrangement. The
dragline is supported by the cam-jack as it moves. The shoes are retracted
*The material removed from above the coal beds in surface mining is often
called overburden though it may include material that lies between two or
more coal beds. As the overburden is removed and placed elsewhere, it
is called "spoil" because the material is essentially useless to the coal
recovery process.
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13
while operating and the dragline rotates on a circular rail supported
by a steel rim or tub.
An alternative method of overburden removal uses large shovels.
Shovels must work from below the material excavated. The excavation
procedure, as noted earlier, is "up and out." Shovels may be as large
as draglines, but (1) generally require a hard coal since they may work
off the top of the coal, (2) generally are designed to move material as
far away from the pit as can a large dragline, and (3) are normally
used in conjunction with trucks that haul away the materials. Of course,
those generalities are functions of design. Shovels could match drag-
lines and do in midwestern coal mines.
There is an increasing tendency for surface coal mining operations
in the Northern Great Plains states to look toward "truck and shovel"
operations. The phrase refers to the use of small electric- or diesel-
powered shovels which remove overburden and load it into trucks, often
rear dump trucks, for hauling to dump sites. Since delivery times for
large equipment are long, the use of smaller equipment allows the opera-
tors to achieve production of shallow, thick coals; that is, the
Northern Great Plains coals, within a shorter start-up time than possible
with draglines. Further, truck and shovel operations allow greater
mining flexibility and can facilitate reclamation by selective dumping
and spreading of earth materials. It seems possible to initiate a
major "truck and shovel" operation in about one year considering only
the time required to obtain equipment and place it into operation.
In other cases, all overburden removal is accomplished with equipment
also suited for road construction -- namely scrapers and dozers. Scrapers
and dozers (tractor", "cat", "blade", "bulldozer", etc.) are a part of
almost every major mine's equipment roster. They are usually used to
remove, possibly to stockpile, and to place soils. They are used to
rehandle spoil after dumping by dragline or shovel. These activities are
in addition to "clean up" behind a dragline or shovel and access or haul
road construction. In the case of the Big Horn #1 Mine, North of Sheridan,
Wyoming, overburden and partings from the South pit are removed entirely
by scrapers. If the overburden is sufficiently soft not to require
blasting prior to removal or if when blasted, the overburden is relatively
fine, the mine could depend upon scrapers for the majority of the earth
movement.
Bucket wheel excavators (BWE's) may be used to remove either over-
burden or coal. BWE's consist of a series of shovel buckets, perhaps
eight, arranged around a large diameter wheel which can dig up into
relatively unconsolidated material and dump the material onto an artic-
ulated conveyor system designed to either transfer to another conveyor
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14
or to load trucks or trains. BWE's cannot operate efficiently in
indurated (hard) material or material containing boulders. Nor can one
generally expect to blast material and then remove it with BWE's. A
BWE was reported used without success during the initial mining of the
Glenharold mine (Colsolidation Coal Company) in Western North Dakota.
A BWE type of machine started operating in the Belle Ayr South Mine
(AMAX Coal Company), South of Gillette, Wyoming in 1975. The Belle Ayr
South operations have involved BWE excavation of both coal and over-
burden. This equipment is more a bucket wheel loader compared to the
BWE's in use in Europe or in the midwestern United States. It has been
reported the BWE design modifications show promise for the equipment
used for coal in the Belle Ayr South Mine. It is reported to increase
the loading rate for coal considerably.
In the West, shovels, generally of moderate size, are used to
remove coal. Coal shovels and front-end loaders fill trucks which
haul the coal to a central preparation (crushing) and transfer point.
Small draglines can also be used to load coal, but this might be con-
sidered only when the coal or "underburden" (geologic strata underlying
the coal) is not strong enough to support the coal shovel or coal hauling
equipment. At certain mines, some coal is left in the mine as support
for the spoil dumped in the low wall* side. An inverted "V" - shaped
ridge of coal left on the low wall side allows spoil to be piled high-
er and/or closer to the working pit.
Coal is hauled from the pit using off-road trucks with capacities
ranging up to 200 tons (about 90 cubic yards). Truck haul distances
vary and may end at power plants or, more frequently, at rail loading
facilities. Eight to ten miles is currently considered the economical
limit for truck haul. Trucks are generally diesel-fueled, although
some gasoline-fueled equipment remains. Many of the coal haul trucks
use electric motor drives powered by diesel engine-driven generators.
Bottom-dump trucks are common. A few end-dump trucks are in operation,
but the newer ones are used for hauling overburden.
When more than one bed of coal is mined, the parting material
separating the beds may be removed using a dragline if the parting is
sufficiently thick; scrapers or front-end loaders are used where the
parting is thinner. Thick partings are usually blasted. Thin hard
partings may be ripped by dozers and loaded into trucks.
*Low wall refers to the side of an open pit adjacent to the previously
mined area or what is generally the area of thinner overburden. "High
wall" refers to the face of freshly exposed earth material not yet or
not planned to be mined.
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15
Most of the Western mines use rail transport for coal. Coal is
dumped from the haul trucks into crushing equipment, sized to less than
two inches, and delivered by a short conveyor system to silos or other
covered facilities for storage. Such storage is required to permit
quick loading of the trains and to even out mine production requirements.
Trains are quite frequently loaded semi-automatically from the silos.
Silo capacities are usually 10,000 or 12,000 tons, while individual
rail car capacities are usually 100 tons. Thus, one silo can store
sufficient coal to load a 100 car train.
Such trains are termed "unit coal trains"* in that they haul one
comodity to a single location. Unit coal trains may be smaller or larger
than 100 cars, but that number seems to be a frequent one for relatively
long hauls. Increasingly common destinations for such trains are barge-
loading facilities in the Midwest.
An important consideration when shipping coal long distances is
the BTU content or heat value of the material. The lower the heat
content, the more it costs to ship a certain amount of heat. Similarly,
with higher water content in the coal, the cost to ship a given amount
of heat is higher. High water content can also cause problems in empty-
ing coal cars in cold weather since the coal freezes in the cars. Fuel
oil sprays have been used to mitigate this problem.
Coals mined from the Northern Great Plains are not now washed.
However, since washing removes sulfur and upgrades the heat content of
the coal, there may be some coal washing proposed in the near future.
However, the initially low sulfur content, principally organic sulfur,
constrains the efficiency of conventional washing in terms of sulfur
removal. To the West, in the Rocky Mountain Province, many coals are
or are proposed to be washed.
"Captive mines" or mines located near the coal conversion point
often require fly ash and bottom ash to be dumped back into the surface
pit. The gray color of the ash serves to identify it in photography.
This material is then covered prior to seeding. At the Navajo Mine in
New Mexico, a mine not photographically examined in this report, bottom
ash is also used as an experimental mulch and soil conditioner over
spoil. Experimental work has also been conducted in the Northern Great
Plains.
*Unit trains are dedicated to hauling a single commodity. Unit coal
trains return to mines empty. Generally the same cars and motive
power service one mine and one unloading facility and thus travel the
same route at all times and seldom uncouple.
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16
After spoils are dumped by the dragline or other equipment, they
are graded to the planned post-mining configuration, with the exception
of active haul roads which may intersect the graded areas at regular
intervals. If appropriate and possible, soil material is respread over
the graded spoil to enhance the potential for revegetation. The post-
mining configuration acheived often has the appearance of rolling ter-
rain in which a somewhat regular "wave length" and "frequency" of low hills
is introduced into the topography. This occurs where the overburden to
coal ratio is large; where the ratio is small, the configuration may
be superimposed on a shallow basin. Post-mining slopes may be graded
as shallow as 0:10 (verticalthorizontal) depending upon the post-min-
ing land use plans. However, typical post-mining grades are 1:3 and
1:4. Of course, some areas are almost flat. Grading should be perform-
ed as close to the mining operation as does not physically interfere
with the operation and so as to prevent erosion problems.
Final grading can, in select cases, involve the retention of high
walls (vertical cuts), the creation or replacement of lakes or impound-
ments, and the creation or replacement of drainage paths. In certain
instances haul roads are retained. Thus, the visual patterns dis-
played by aerial imagery of mined and reclaimed areas may be varied.
Grading may be followed by placement of soil amendments (fertili-
zer, soil conditioners such as gypsum) and the creation of small-scale
surface configurations' (e.g., dozer basins or terraces to retain water and
seed and to limit erosion). Graded and seeded areas are generally fenc-
ed to limit grazing. Seeding is usually done using conventional agri-
cultural equipment with seed drills preferred by most operators, though
a return to broadcast seeding has been noted. Seedling transplant of
shrubs or trees is not widely practiced. Mulching has been practiced
at most mines with widely different results in terms of producing
notable improvements in seedling emergence and soil stability. Hay
and netting have been tried as mulches. Planting of annuals to pro-
vide stubble has been employed. Most recent visits show increased
use of hydromulching using wood fibers.
Most agronomists are recommending careful reestablishment of native
species as the most appropriate revegetation procedure. Such rees-
tablishment does not preclude the use of non-noxious introduced species
especially on a temporary basis. The reestablished vegetative ecosystems
evidenced on aerial imagery of revegetated mined lands may thus be
similar to the systems shown on undisturbed land, though some degree of
regularity may initially be evidenced.
Seeding is rarely followed by irrigation at the mines examined in
this report. The only large-scale commitment to irrigation at Western
coal mines as a whole is the sprinkler system installed at the Navajo
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17
Mine in New Mexico. Annual precipitation rates there of about 15
centimeters (6 inches) have necessitated the use of supplemental water
for at least 1.5 years. This area, of course, is outside the Northern
Great Plains.
Though vegetated areas may be reactivated, reseeded, refertilized,
and harvested, the overriding activity following seeding is one of wait-
ing to see if the desired vegetative ecosystem will develop and survive.
The physical disturbances of a mining operation are not necessarily
limited to the mine site itself. Employee housing and service facilities,
rail lines, roads, pipelines and power transmission lines all can make
their mark. The physical effects of these activities are evidenced in
various ways on aerial imagery. Similarly, land uses not related to
coal mining provide visual contrasts that are obvious on aerial photo-
graphs. Fence lines are notable examples, especially where range
management practices differ on sides of the fence.
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CHAPTER 4
CHARACTERISTIC RESPONSES OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Two forms of aerial photography are presented here. The principal
form used is a print from the normal color process film. Experience
suggests that true-color imagery provides more information to the
typical area than does black and white photography. Any land character-
istics differing in visible color are detected on the film and the grays
of black and white are further differentiated into the hues of the
visible spectrum.
The second type of film used for this report is "color-infrared"
or "false color." This film responds also to electromagnetic or infra-
red (IR) radiation (longer wave length) beyond the red limit of the
visible range or, quantitatively, out of the 1,100 nanometer wave length*,
Color as well as black and white IR are possible. Color IR imagery is
collected through a yellow filter (filters out lower wave length blue)
which assists in the shift of greens to blues on color IR positives.
The IR radiation shows as red on the film. What is normally red
becomes green. Principal "false" colors for Western mines flown with
color IR are hues of red and blue respectively, then, IR and green.
The red is response to IR energy reflected from that part of vegetation
dependent upon moisture for its health. Thus, a bright red or magenta
color on color IR prints is indicative of higher soil moisture (un-
saturated) or even ground water (saturated) supplying the vegetation.
Water can appear black on color IR film if the angle of view is right
since water absorbs IR radiation. Color IR tends, obviously, to enhance
detection of healthy vegetation and water boundaries. Color IR can
therefore reflect degrees of vegetative stress.
There are, of course, limitations to the use of aerial photography.
Weather is obviously an important factor. Planning is necessary to
insure adequate coverage of the area. Film and print processing re-
quire professional assistance. Knowledge of climatic conditions pre-
ceding image acquisition is most useful. Above all, the photography
will not answer all questions and it may raise some. Therefore, field
work to collect ground truth data will still be required.
*This range is short of the heat-sensitive range for thermal IR sensing
(8,000 to 14,000 nanometers).
18
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19
Finally, the aerial photography shows large-scale contrasts in
the geology of the areas. Contacts between geologic formations often
provide striking linear contrasts. The different formations also pro-
duce different soils which then support different vegetative species.
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20
TABLE 2 - General Specifications of Imagery Acquisition Systems
Date Photography
Acquired Specifications
1974 B-26 Aircraft (approx. 6,000 feet or 1,800
meters)
RC-8 9-Inch Mapping Camera, 6 inch (15 cm)
Focal Length Lens
EK 2443 Color Infrared Film
KA-76 5-Inch Reconnaissance Camera, 3 inch
(7.6 cm) Focal Length Lens
EK 2445 Aerocolor Negative Film
1975 High Altitude (approx. 56,000 feet or 17,000
meters)
NASA RB-57 Aircraft
ZEISS 9-Inch Mapping Camera, 12 inch (30 cm)
Focal Length Lens
EK 2443 Color Infrared Film
ZEISS 9-Inch Mapping Camera, 6 inch (15 cm)
Focal Length Lens
EK 2402 Plus X B&W Negative Film
1976 Low Altitude (approx 6,000 feet or 1,800 meters)
NASA PSA Aircraft
ZEISS 9-Inch Mapping Camera, 6 inch (15 cm)
Focal Length Lens
EK 2443 Color Infrared Film
ZEISS 9-Inch Mapping Camera, 6 inch (15 cm)
Focal Length Lens
EK S-397 Ektachrome Aerographic Film
This report provides a brief summary of one detailed computer analysis
of satellite imagery analyzed in a similar fashion for the majority of the
mines in the Northern Great Plains area. A more extensive presentation of
the analysis procedures and results thereof may be obtained in the refer-
enced report prepared by the EPA National Field Investigation Center in
Denver.*
*EPA National Field Investigation Center, "An Application of ERTS
Technology to the Evaluation of Coal Strip Mining and Reclamation in
the Northern Great Plains," Feb., 1975.
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CHAPTER 5
INVENTORY OF SURFACE COAL MINES
IN THE
NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS
This chapter provides a graphic inventory of major coal mine sites
present in the Northern Great Plains area of Montana, North Dakota, and
Wyoming. The graphic inventory takes the form of color aerial photography
presented in an introductory fashion as a technique that has applicability
to planning and regulation of coal mining. The principal photography was
collected in July of 1974. The 1974 imagery was collected by the EPA
Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada using
the equipment noted in Table 2 at altitudes close to 1,800 meters (6,000
feet). The remainder of the imagery is comprised mainly of color-infrared
photography flown in 1975. This later imagery was collected while flying
at an altitude of approximately 17,000 meters (55,000 feet). The lower
altitude photography was collected to provide a high degree of resolution,
and to thus provide some ground data* in the photography itself. However,
the lower altitude photography is more cumbersome to handle in that
numerous frames have to be mosaicked** or otherwise combined to obtain
the desired perspective of a mine covering a large area. The higher al-
titude photography often embraces a single surface mine on one frame, thus
allowing, if adequate spatial resolution is achieved, expeditious enlarge-
ments of the imagery to various scales compatible with other data such as
that contained in topographic maps.
Near infrared (IR) aerial (or "color infrared") imagery was collected
on color IR film simultaneously with the low altitude color imagery but is
not presented in its entirety since the additional photography would require
more extensive interpretation than is available for this report. This
chapter presents color IR-instigated (or "false color") imagery for
selected mines to enable the reader to make some comparisons between the
true and false color imagery. The high altitude photography collected in
1975 and presented in this report is also color IR.
*Ground data, also called ground truth data, refers to data that identify
the vegetative species, soil types, mining procedures, types of equipment,
land uses, or other land surface characteristics that produce a visual
pattern on the photography but which, on higher altitude photography, cannot
be completely or accurately defined.
**Mosaic refers to the careful cutting of individual photographic prints
along visual-lineations or other natural marks to produce a composite aerial
photograph covering a large area. Using principally the center of each
print reduces the distortion of the image and facilitates matching.
21
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22
Along with the aerial imagery are presented tabulated summaries
of technical information describing the mining activity. Perhaps the
greatest value of that information will come if the technical information
is regularly updated and verified. The data are considered preliminary
at this stage, but are presented for two reasons. First, the photography
shows varied visual appearances caused both by the physical environment
and the mining practice. The summaries may help to explain some of the
differences. Second, it is necessary to provide statistics that can be
used, albeit carefully, to estimate, for example, the numbers of people
involved in the various mining situations, equipment requirements, and
transportation arrangements. The data were obtained from numerous sources
and at various times. In obtaining the data, we attempted not to impose
upon the already full schedule of the operators any more than we had
already. Only in North Dakota did we go to the operators (through the
North Dakota REAP*) to refine the information. The Bureau of Mines** of
the U.S. Department of the Interior has adopted a system that is capable
of keeping track of this descriptive information as the information
characterizes technical considerations, areas affected, and equipment
used at a mine site. Operators are therefore encouraged to refine these
data and provide them on a regular basis.
Plate 1 (in rear pocket) is a location map for the mines inventoried.
*REAP stands for Regional Environmental Assessment Program. This
organization was formulated by North Dakota State Legislature.
**Intermountain Field Operations Center, Denver, Colorado
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23
Section 5-1
Dave Johnston Mine - Plates 2 and 3
The Dave Johnston Mine, or "Dave Johnston Fuel Recovery Pit" as
it is formally called, takes on the appearance of a snake and is repre-
sented here in both true color and color infrared photography. The
true color photograph (Plate 2) is a low altitude mosaic collected on 29
July 1974. The color infrared film was exposed at an altitude of 17,450
meters (57,200 feet) on 28 January 1975. The mine is also the subject of
an investigation of the applicability of satellite imagery (See Chapter
6). This mine is considered a "captive mine" and ships coal by rail to
the Dave Johnston Power Plant nearby at Glenrock, Wyoming.
The effects of more arid climate limit the infrared photographic re-
sponse to vigorous vegetative growth in the 1975 photography of this mine.
However, the varied vegetation and earth patterns along the southwest side
of the mine reflect the vegetation and reclamation efforts. Along the
extreme south-southwestern edge, the rows extending out from roads repre-
sent areas from which soil was removed for use over the older spoils. The
1974 lower altitude photography shows only tinges of green in the revege-
tated areas. The remainder of the affected land looks not too unlike the
undisturbed lands except in terms of density of vegetative growth.
The mined area northwest of the mine offices and coal loading area
and west of the eastern extension of the mine was seeded in 1969. Pro-
gressing northwest, areas were reseeded in 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1973.
Most of the mined areas with vegetation to the southeast were seeded in
1972. Note the termination of drainage channels by the mine as shown in
the plates.
Comparison of the two photographs (Plates 2 and 3) facilitates an
assessment of mining and reclamation progress. The separate pit on the
northeast side of the mine has progressed north and east and additional
excavation has been performed preparatory to mining the deeper bed.
Grading activities east of the loading area have been extended toward
the pit and emergent vegetation can be seen north of the loading area
near the pit. In the newer pit area, spoil has been placed on the high-
wall side (Plate 3).
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24
DESCRIPTION OF MINE
Mine: Dave Johnston Fuel Recovery Pit
2. Location: State: Wyoming County: Converse Township: 36N
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 75W Sec: 21.28,33.24
County: Converse Township: 36N
Range: 74H Sec: 3. 10. 11
3. Mine Operators: Pacific Power and Light Company
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: .2.897.383 tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: ._2_.68_7_J)_45 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: 22A._OQQ tons per month
5. Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 2.687,045 ) to
Glenrock. WY. Dave Johnston Plant (ECS) 750 MW
City, State Use
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A) none (e.g., unit train), Ownership:
, # Cars per train
(B) Yes (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Pacific Power
and Light Comgany . # Cars per train
Approximate rate of car loading mln. per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for Loading tons
Stratigraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 110 feet; range 60' to 200 feet
(B) Name of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (youngest to oldest)
Badger 16'
School 37J
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams
145' , , thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average 140' , Maximum: 180'
Minimum: so'
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: % (measured; estimated)
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: Paee 752 LR , 39 (cuyd). 261 (ft), (kw)
modelcapacity boom length power rqmts
Shovels: BE-150-B , 10 (cuyd). 43 (ft). 350/875 (hp)
model capacity max. radius power rqmts
Marion 151M 14 (cuyd). (ft), (kw)
model capacity max. radius power rqmts
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25
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End:
Loaders
Water
Trucks:
4
number
1
number
1
number
1
number
1
number
3
number
1
number
1
number
1
number
1
number
1
number
l
number
Yes
number
*
number
LW (Rear dump)
model /power
Dare (Rear Dump)
model/power
Euclid
model /power
L/W Self-loading B70
model/power
Terex S-24
model /power
Cat D9 Dozers
model /power
Cat 14 Grader
model/power
Austin Western 3000 Grader
model /power
B40L-22 Coal Drill
model /power
Michigan 275B
model/power
Cat 950
model /power
Michigan 275B
model /power
1
model /power
model /power
65
capacity
65
capacity
)
capacity
I
capacity
»
capacity
>
capacity
»
capacity
I
capacity
j
capacity
>
capacity
i
capacity
t
capacity
?
capacity
3
capacity
(tons)
(tons)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
96
Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973:
109 in July, 1974
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area:
_, In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973:
Type of Work:
% of year worked
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Time Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Glenrock
Town
Douglas
Number
Town
Casper
Number
Town
Number
-------
26
10, Coal On-ftorsMp: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Rcclawtion
Plan and by Permit:
Federal: %, State: S, Private: S
11. Goal Lease and "Pernit" numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: W038S97.UOU3S5 . State Pernit:
(If any)
K024A167. KQ312918
UX)3ft602.
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974: Estimated froa Ph
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: 612 _ acrcs(Includcs ecrapcd .irons and
(including areas leveled for (300 nc. pit and nlnccllnncous disturbed
dragline or shovel) opoiln alone) land.)
(B) Spoils Degraded or Being Regradcd: 640 acres
Total A+B-1252 acres
(C) Revcgetated (Seeded and for Growing): 500 acres
(Portion of graded area (»))
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: (27) acres (Thin acreage la within
active pit arean and is United co ponded water.)
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: > 65+ acres
(doesn't include transportation)
TOTAL dintucbcd acreage (A+B+E) • 1317 acres
13. Average Analyses of Coal:
Harae of Coal Sean school _ , Moisture ;; t. Ash (wet) jj. _ 1
Ha?0(Ash) .13 S, Sulfur (wet) J_6 _ 5, Btu (wet) B200 per Ib.
Haoc of Goal Scan BndKer _ , Moisture 27 i, Ash (wet) 8 t
»a?0(Ash) .13 X, Sulfur (wet) .45 t, Btu (wet) 7950 per Ib.
Name of Goal Sean Average _ . Moisture 26 X. Ash (wet) 12 X
Sulfur (wet) 0.5 3t. Btu (wet) 7800 per Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous (historical) rsethods of nining
Including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, ataount of water
removed from workings, water qual-ity data.
Estlcaccd Rcaervco: 150,000,000 ton*.
-------
PLATE 2
DAVE JOHNSTON MINE
Pacific Power and Light
Converse County, Wyoming
29Jul74
.5
MILES
-------
tt'-'lfo &
fer\. f>.. &*<|£
PLATE 3
DAVE JOHNSTON MINE
Pacific Power and Light
Converse County, Wyoming
28Jun75 Color IR High Alt.
-------
29
Section 5-2
East Antelope Mine - Plate 4
This mine is the small operation shov/n on the right of Plate 4,
which is a mosaic of low altitude, true color photography collected
on 19 July 1974. The water-filled pit to the west (left) is an
abandoned coal mine. Obviously, the East Antelope operation is one
of the smaller surface coal mines in the Northern Great Plains.
We have not yet determined the significance of the X-like mark
located in the west center of the mosaic, but it continues to be of
interest.
-------
30
DESCRIPTION OF
Mine: Eant Antctope
Location: State: Kyoalng
(all acreage on which present
County: Converse
Township:
corporate owners have conducted
or arc conducting operations) Range: 71W
Sec:
Mine Operators: Beat Cool Cospany
Production Rates: For Year 1974:
1,195
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974:
Monthly Average for 1974: Hone
5. Destination of Coal: (A) tstloated tons per year (_
tons per year
!lonc tpy
tons per nonth
) to
Hisccllaneoua uBcm in Myoaing - hoaon
CTty. StateUse
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A) 1 (e.g., truck),Ownership: 8cat Coal Coapany
, I Cars per train
Approximate rate of car loading nin. per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for Loading tons.
7. Stratigraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 30 feet; range S
to
40 feet
(B) Naec of Coal Scans Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (youngest to oldest)
(called "D" cool aUo)
Anderson
35'
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Scans (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Scaos 20-40' 35'
, , thickness and approximate separation from
mined scans.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average <•p'
, Haxieusi: 60''
25'
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils:
Major Operating Equipcent:
Draglines: Sone , (cuyd),
t (treasured; estimated)
(ft).
(kw)
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End
model
None
KOdCl
*• f
number
None ,
nunber
Hone ,
nusocr
Konc ,
number
capaci ty
(cuyd).
capacity
S-ton (ta*ollnc
BOdel /power
B»del/powcr
model /power
Bodcl /power
-------
31
Hater iionc , ^ , (cuyd)
Trucks: numbermodel/powercapacity
Enployrjent:
(A) Niraber of full-tine employees at the site: Average for 1973: 1
1 In July, 1974
(B) tlurr.ber of other full-tire employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-tine for this nine: (Average for 1973)
In local area: . In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: , % of year worked
Type of Horlc
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Time Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
At Klnc 1
Town Nunber
10. Goal Ownership: As of July'1974. currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal: 100 $. State: X, Private: 3
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: B031719 . State Permit:
(if any)
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974: Eotinatcd iron Photography.
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: 6 acres
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(8) Spoils Rcgraded or Being Regraded: 0 acres
Toenl: A+B«>D - 24 ac
(C) Rcvcgetated (Seeded and for Growing): 0 acres
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: is acres (4-acrc pond included)
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: 3 acres
TOTAL DISTURBED ACRKAGE: 27 acron.
13. Average Analyses of Coal:
Mane of Coal Scan Andcraoo ("D") . Moisture 26 %, Ash (wet) _6 S
Sulfur (wet) .2 I, Btu (wet) 8650 per Ib.
14. Other Itosns of Interest such as previous (historical) methods of mining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, arount of water
removed froa workings, water quality data.
Pit does have co be piapcd out prior to each ycar'o operation - uaually
open Octobor-ftnrch.
-------
PLATE 4
EAST ANTELOPE MINE
Best Coal Company
Converse County, Wyoming
19Jul74 1201-1202 hrs
0.25
MILES
0.5
CO
ro
-------
33
Section 5-3
Belle Ayr South Mine - Plates 5 and 6
This mine is represented in two sets of aerial photography; true
color flown on 29 July 1974 and color infrared collected from an altitude
of 16,900 meters (55,500 feet) on 23 June 1975. The true color low
altitude imagery is presented in mosaic form. The two imagery collection
dates, almost one year apart, allow examination of the northward movement
of the pit and the initial return of spoils to the southern part of the
mine. Growth of perennial vegetation is evidenced in plots at the
extreme southeast corner of the mine, but significant moisture availability
to vegetation on disturbed lands is not evidenced elsewhere except along
the haul road. The area east of the coal load silos has been seeded
in the past and vegetative growth of annuals is visible in the 1974
photography, but not in the 1975 photography.
Caballo Creek has been diverted around the working pit on the west
and south. The continued subsurface flow of water is shown by the
magenta hues east of the south part of the mine in the 1975 photo-
graphy. The availability of water to vegetation in the undisturbed
valley of Caballo Creek is quite apparent. The pinkish color of roads
and parking areas in the 1974 photography comes from baked shale or
clinker used to surface the roads.
The soil patterns shown in both sets of photography are noteworthy.
The yellowish area of the 1975 photography extending south-southeast
from the mine is most likely related to the burn line of the coal bed
and shows as a reddish tinge at the bottom of the 1974 imagery.
-------
34
DESCRIPTION OF MINE
1 . Mine: Belle Ayr - South (Presently "Belle Ayr")
2. Location: State: hVosuJig County: Cacpbcll Township:
(all acreage on whicn present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 48h' Sec: 54,3S
3. Mine Operators: AM\X Coal Coapany
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 867,544 tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 5,501,472 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: 275,000 tons per raonth
5, Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 1,500,000 ) to
Pueblo, Colorado Cbaiaanche Plant (SGS)
City, StateDse
(Public Service of Colo. - 350 HW Sta)
(8) Estimated tons per year ( l.j)00,OJ]0 ) tp
Denver and Boulder, Colorado (EGS)
City, State Use
(Public Service of Colo.)
(C) Estimated tons per year ( 500,000 ) to
Burlington, IA (EGS)
City, Stateuse
(Kansas City Pwr i Light - Burlington)
(0) Estimated tons per year ( 500,000 ) to
East St. Louis M3 to barges fEGS)
City, StateUse
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A) 4 Destinations (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Burlington -
Northern , i Cars 100-124 per train
Approximate rate of car loading 1 J"iin. per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for loading 24,000 tons two silos plus 2 under
construction, primary crusher
to 4", secondary crusher to
2" topsize
7. Stratigraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 3S feet; range 2Q to 60 feet
(Max 200' in future) (Soft, sandy shale)
(B} Hane of Coal Scans Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (youngest to oldest)
Anderson-Canyon 70'
(also called Holand-Snith or Wyodak Coals)
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Scans
Few Inches to no visible thickness and approxiMte separation from
partings'mined seams.
(underlain by hard, sandy shale)
(0) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average IPS , Maxirrum: 130
Minlmun: -0-
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: % (measured; estimated)
-------
35
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines:
(cuyd),
(ft).
(kw)
Shovels:
irodel capacity boon length power rcpts
2 en B-E 295B . 24 (cuyd), 55 (ft), 300/2000 (hp)
model capacity nax. raoius power roots
29SB , 20 (cuyd), (ft), (kw)
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End:
Loaders
Water
irodel capacity nvax. radius power rqnts
S , Dart - Dloacl Duapa , 75 (tons)
nunber
8
niraber
1
number
*
niraber
3
number
1
number
1
number
l , .
nurr.ber
2 .
rrodel/power
(17 each end d
-------
36
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" Kumbcrs: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: Vfrccinp- 0317682 . State Pemit:
(if any)
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: 71 acres (includes 10 ncros
(includinq areas leveled for of topsoil storage
dragline or shovel) and 9 acres niscoll.)
(B) Spoils Regraded or 8eing Reoraded: ICO acres
(C) Rovegetated (Seeded and/or growing): ICO acres
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: 1 acre so.-.d acres (include;1, in re-
frndcd figure )
(£) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: /.6 acres
Total Disturbed Acreage: 217 acres
13. Average Analyses of Coal:
flame of Coal Sean: Wyodak Moisture: 30.4f. ; Ash: 6.45 (wet)
!la20 Ash dry: 1.27;; Sulfur (wet): 0.435 ; BTU (wet): 3020 oer Ib.
14. Other Items of interest such as previous (historical) rvethods of mining
includinq underground, wator-bearinp strata encountered, arount of
removed fron workings, water qua.lity data.
Heportedly wap 90 f allono/sinvitc Tor dcTratcrirj: of cine
Reserves e:;'.iratcd 3CO,CCO,000 *.cns
Blnsting AJiFC or siurrj- - ccal only
4:1 or 3:1 .slope on upoilctl ovorburder.
Punpinf; about 100,COC f-rc frcr. pit
Cnbftllo CrecX diverted, Crcefc bed filled In part
Vihoat grasses and sweet clover - 15 acres In 1972 (Sprinf )
65 acres seeded in "all 1973
Inside rail loop: Sprinp 19^3 - 35 acres needed -rith Viirstem "iThea
and four-Tiinp salt brush
Annual precipitation: 15"
BucKctwheel l&ader undcrcoinr tests - Mechanical Eacnvators, Inc.
-------
PLATE 5
BELLE AYR MINE
AMAX Coal Company
Campbell County, Wyoming
29Jul74 1020-1021 hrs
0.25
MILES
0.5
I
N
-------
PLATE 6
BELLE AYR MINE
AMAX Coal Company
Campbell County, Wyoming
23Jun75 Color IR High Alt.
MILES
-------
39
Section 5-4
Wyodak Mine - Plates 7 and 8
This mine is represented in low altitude photography collected on
19 July 1974 (Plate 7). The active pit is that lying south of the
highway. Obviously, the coal is thick and mining equipment require-
ments are minimal to date. The mine is also shown in low-level oblique
color photography flown on the same day (Plate 8).
The Neil Simpson power plant lies between and to the east of the
two mine pits with some grading evident east of the plant which is related
to the plant's expansion. Some grading and subsequent vegetative growth
is shown by the green vegetative hues on the north of the south pit and
the south of the north pit. In 1974-5, this mine was operating in the
thickest eoal (two beds with minimal partings aggregating 24 meters or
80 feet) currently mined in the Northern Great Plains and probably in
the United States.
The green color of Donkey Creek is related to algae nourished by
sewage effleunt from the town of Gillette. Seepage into the Wyodak
Pit from the diverted creek has been noted.
-------
40
DESCRIPTION OF KIHE
1 . Mine: Wyodnk Mine - Wyodnk South Pit
2. Location: State: tfyosing County: Cn=pbcll Township: 50!i
{all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 71W Sec: 27,28
3. Mine Operators: Wyodnk Resources Development Corporation
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 727.019 tons per year
EstiMted or Projected for Year 1974: 738.246 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: 61,500 tons per month
5, Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 250.000 ) to
5, WY Oaagc Station ECS 34.5 HW
City, StateUse
(Black Hills Power & I.ght)
(B) Estimated tons per year ( 230.000 ) to
Hyodnk, tfY Nlcl Siapaon Station ECS 26.8 KH
City, StateUse
(C) Estimated tons per year ( 130,000 ) to
Lend. SD Kirk Station ECS 31.5 HH
City, StateUse
(D) Estimated tons per year ( 120,000 ) to
Rapid City. SD Ben French Station ECS 22.5 HW
City, Stateuse
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A) Conveyor to Stcaa Plant
(B) Yco {e.g., unit train), Ownership: Chicago and
Horthweatern , * Cars 25-30 per train
Approximate rate of car loading min. per car {100 ton)
Storage Capacity for Loading 80 tons.
7. Stratlgraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 30 feet; range 15 to 40 feet
(B) Narae of Coal Scans Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (youngest to oldest)
(nloo CAilcd Roland-Saith or Wyodok coal).
Anderson 40
Canyon 40
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams
0.7' co 1.5', "Hud" thickness and approximate separation frocn
nined seams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average 110' , Maximum: 160'
Minimum: 85'
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: X (measured; estimated)
-------
8. Hajor Operating Equipment:
Draglines: 2
41
2.S (cuyd), Clara Shell
(kit)
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers;
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End
Loaders:
Water
Trucks:
model capacity boon length power rqnts
(not used)
None , (cuyd), (ft), (kw)
radel capacity nax. radius power rq-nts
1 , , 2S (tons)
number
5 ,
number
2 ,
number
2 ,
nunber
1 ,
number
3 ,
number
1 ,
number
1 ,
number
1 ,
nunber
F.QdeI /power
Huclid Diesel ,
rodeVpower
Cit Diesel
model /power
(ordering 100 ton - going to conveyor
Cat 621
mode I/ power
Road Grader Cat Model 12
node I/ power
Cat D8ii (, Cat D7E
node I/ power
Coal Drill Salcn-McCarthv 108 ,
model/power
Hough 400
model /power
Ford
mode I/ power
capacity
20 (tons)
capacity
70 ( tons )
capacity
fron pit)
IS (cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
6"
capacity
1-J (cuyd)
capacity
2000 (gal)
capacity
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-tire employees at the site: Average for 1973: 29
28 in July, 1974 one shift
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this nine: (Average for 1973)
In local area: None
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973:
Type of work:
In Headquarters: None
None
X of year worked I
(D) Places of Residence of full-tine employees (and approximate nur.ber
residing there):
Gillette
Town
Number
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Recla-
mation Plan and by Permit:
Federal:
90
t, State:
X, Private: 10 X
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" Numbers : (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: «073289, WO111833
tfO315666, B037423
, State Permit:
(if any)
-------
42
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974: Estimated froa Photography.
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: 73 _ acres (includes 16 acres
(including areas leveled for In inactive Korth pit)
dragl inc or shovel )
(8) Spoils degraded or Being Rcgraded: 55 acres
(C) Revcgctated (Seeded and for Growing): 45 acres (portion of part B)
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Mater: 45 (otphan) , A ac. pond acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: 9 acres
(includcR old power plane, but none of the new construction)
TOTAL DISTURBED ACREAGE (A+B+JHE) " 186 acres
13. Average Analyses of Coal:
me Of Coal Sean Anderson-Canyon , Moisture 28 * , Ash (wet) 5.9 %
HagO(Ash) 1.3 S, Sulfur (wet) .52 %, Btu (wet) 8300 per Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such 'as previous (historical) rvethods of mining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, amount of water
removed fros workings, water quality data.
Recoverable coal 160,000,000 cons.
Blasting AK-FO with dynanltc and prleacord slurry, E-Cord 4 prlncr 24 '
spacing to 120' deep.
Annual precipitation 14",
Currently terracing but will .ilopa.
Utting crested uhcnt , western uticat trans, alfalfa, sweet clover.
Water enters both Korth i South Pits (total) nc 150 fcpa.
-------
PLATE 7
WYODAK MINE
Wyodak Resource Develop'
merit Company
Campbell County, Wyoming
19Jul74 1526-1527 hrs
0.26
MILES
0.5
-------
Photographs collected along south to north
flight line. Horizon of photograph is west.
Continue to lower
photograph.
a. S «!
Ill
00
UJ
I
-------
45
Section 5-5
Welch Strip Mine - Plate 9
This is one of the smaller surface coal mines presently in
operation in the Northern Great Plains. It is located in the Tongue
River valley. The mine is viewed here through low altitude true color
photography collected on 20 July 1974. The photograph (Plate 9) shows
great distinction between the ground water dependent vegetation of the
oxbow at the top of the photograph and the brownish cast of the range
grasses on lands surrounding the mine.
Large portions of the mine have been graded but the darker gray
color of the graded areas shows a relatively high concentration of
waste coal (carbonaceous sandstone and shale) on the surface. Experi-
ments performed at the Dave Johnston Mine have suggested that placement
of such material on the surface materials can serve to complicate the
revegetation process.
Surface drainage from the mined area appears along the north boundary
of the disturbed lands and is impounded near there.
-------
46
DESCRIPTION OFMHIE
1. Mine: Welch Strip Mine
2. Location: State: Hyontng County: Sheridan Township:
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 85" Sec: 22
3. Mine Operators: Haleh Conl Coapany (Subcidiary of Montana-Dakota
Utilities)
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 18^70j tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 20.3*0 tpy
Average for 1974: 1700 tons per month
5. Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 20.3*0 ) to
Acsc, W¥ Acne Plant HCS
City. StateUse
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A) Konc (e.g., unit train), Ownership:
, ? Cars per train
(B) YCQ - 1 (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Welch Coal
Cmpany , i Cars per train
Approximate rate of car loading min. per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for Loading tons.
7. Stratigraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness SO' feet; range 20 to 70 feet
(B) Name of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness in feet: {youngest to oldest)
(Scon IB aplit by cany partings that arc not alned.)
Monarch 13'
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams
•*•!' , , thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average 70 , Maximum: 80
Minimum: 30
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: % {measured; estimated)
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: Hone , (cuyd), (ft), (kw)
model capacity boon length power rqmts
Shovels: ? , 2-4 (cuyd). (ft), Coo or dieaol
modelcapacity nax, radius power rqmts
(very old, not presently uood)
-------
47
Trucks: 1 , , S (tons)
number model/powercapacity
Scrapers: 1 , loucl , Very Scall (cuyd)
number node!/powercapacity
Dozers: . , (cuyd)
number model/powercapacity
Drills: , , (cuyd)
number podel/powercapacity
Front End: 1 Rubber Wheeled , asall (cuyd)
Loaders number irodcl/povfcr capacity
Mater . , (cuyd)
Trucks: nimber mode I/power capacity
9. Employment:
(A) Dumber of full-tire employees at the site: Average for 1973: 3
2 in July, 1974
(B) number of other full-tine employees employed off-site, but who arc
working essentially full-tine for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area: , In Headquarters:
(G) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: , % of year worked
Type of Work:
(0) Places of Residence of Full-Tine Employees (and approxiraate number
residing there):
Shcridun
Town liucbcr
10. Goal Ownership: As of July 1971, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal: X, State: X, Private: 100 %
11. Goal Lease and "Permit" Numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: , State Permit:
(if any)
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974: Knticatcd froa photography.
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: ._ 7.5 acres
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(B) Spoils Regraded or Being Regraded: 29 acres
(C) Rcvegetated (Seeded and for Growing): 12 acres (rcaaining 17 acrco
have probably boon seeded, but no evidence of rcvcgetation.)
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: 1J. acres of ponded woecr
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: .8 acres
TOTAL: A-ffrHH-K - 38.4 ncroo din curbed.
13. Average Analyses of Goal:
Mane of Goal Seam Monarch , Moisture 19 X. Ash (wet) U X
.A t. SuLfur (wet) 1.5 X. Btu (wet) 8900 per Ib.
-------
PLATE 9
WELCH STRIP MINE
Welch Coat Company
Sheridan County. Wyoming
20Jul74 IllOhrs
t
0.25
0.5
MILES
00
-------
49
Section 5-6
Big Horn Mine - Plates 10 and 11
This mine is located north of Sheridan, Wyoming in the topographic
valley of the Tongue River. It is represented in this report in low
altitude true color photography flown on 28 July 1974. It is also shown
in oblique and aerial photography flown the same day. The surface mining
activity is located in the southeast corner of the intersection of the
Tongue River and Goose Creek. In fact, Goose Creek and the Tongue River
flow in part through open areas where coal was mined. The large pond in
Goose Creek near the south edge of the mosaic is a mined-out area as are
the rectangular ponds to the north of the Tongue River. The town of
Acme, Wyoming lies near the center of the mosaic.
The northern part of the area shown is characterized by subsidence
features resulting from collapse of underground workings in the same
(age) coal beds not being surface-mined. However, little surface mining
is being done in the areas that were once underground mined. Surface
mining has not ex-tended into these areas for a variety of reasons related
to equipment problems, underground fires, and ownership of coal and
surface.
The Big Horn Mine area also contains a large clinker (baked shale)
recovery operation located to the west of the coal mine, across Goose
Creek. One can see the reddish gravel-like material both at the mine
and over the coal mine haul roads. Note also the extension of the reddish
hue along both sides of the Tongue River. These are "burn lines" where
coal outcrops have caught fire and left baked clay and shale and some
clinker from the coal bed. This material is called "scoria" by some,
but bears no relationship to volcanic processes producing scoria rock.
The portion of the mine to the south is a scraper-shovel-truck
operation while the mine area to the north is a dragline operation to
date. Grading and seeding activities are evidenced by the appearance of
vegetative growth along the area between Goose Creek and the exposed
coal. A varying density of growth is evident.
This mine has a potential to interfere with typical alluvial valley
floor systems, but the south mined area is generally in a steeper area
which rises abruptly from the drainage channels. If mining were feasible
either to the west along the Tongue River or northeastward, then it
would appear to compete, at least temporarily, with agricultural
-------
50
Section 5-6
activities in the alluvial valley. It is not certain what lasting
impact the mining may have on downstream water resources. The possi-
bilities for increases in dissolved solids has not been assessed.
Encroachment upon the river is in evidence along the northeast
edge of the mine at the time of collection of this photography.
In portions of the area currently mined and to the north of the
area shown in Plate 10, extensive underground mining has been conducted.
Subsidence features exist over hundreds of acres. Various areas of that
coal are presently burning. Impressive columns of smoke are sometimes
evident for short periods when portions of the old underground mines
collapse up to the land surface.
-------
51
DESCRIPTION OF MIHE
1 . Mine: Big Horn II
2. Location: State: Hyoaing _ County: Shorldon _ Township: 57S
{all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: B4W Sec: 15,22 _
3. Mine Operators: Big Horn Coal Cospony (Subflidiacy. of Potct Klcuic Song.
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 444,545 _ tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 997.274 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: 83,000 _ tons per month
5. Destination of Goal: (A) Estfisated tons per year ( B64.274 ) to
Kantian City., HO; Havana. IL; Acne, tfY; HnrahallEown.
Glty, State
IA; Mitchell. SD; Sioux Falin. SD; Aberdeen. SO (ECS)
Cfty, State Use
(8) Estimated tons per year ( 13.3.000 ) to
Ncbraoka, Montana. HinneBora-SuHflr & other Industries
State TJse
(•to Include ceocnt)
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation ('reference 5 above):
(•A1) Hone _ (e.g., unit train), Ownership: _
_ , I Cars _ per train
(B') Yen (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Kannaa City. - Burling-
ton northern . I Gars per tra-1n
Approximate rate of car loading min. per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for Loading tons
Strat1graph1c Data:
(•A) Average Overburden Thickness 100 feet; range IS to 200 feet
C0.5S dip)
(B) Name of Coal Scams Mined and Average Thickness 1n feet: (youngest to oldest)
Plats Huabet 2 H'
Dicti. Huabcr 3 .19*
Monarch 22'
(G) Average Thickness of Partings Between Scams (.feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Scans 3.5' 80'
50 ,. 20 ,, thickness and approximate separation "frxxn
alncd scans.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (-feet) Average 150' , Hax-inwn: 240.'
Minimum: JO' . ._
(E) Bulk-Ing Factor for Spol'ls: X (measured;
-------
52
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: D-E 450U
12 (cuyd}, 200 (ft).
(kw)
Shovels:
model capacity boom length power rqmts
B-E 54B , 4.5 (cuyd), (ft). Dicocl
model capacity max. radius power rqcits
B~E 88B , 9 {cuyd), (ft), Dloaol
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers :
Drills:
Front End
Loaders
Water
Trucks:
model capacity max. radius power
6 , Euclid 105-H, Bottoa du=p hauler , 50
number
a
number
1
number
2
number
3
nuaber
1
nuriber
4
number
2
number
number
1
number
model/power dp gas)
651 Cat ,
model /power
Euclid TTS-14
modeV power
Cat D81I with ripper ,
model/power
Cat 12F road grader ,
model /power
Koohring 1066 bnckhoo ,
model /power
Cat D96 craccoro ,
inodel /power
llnrdocog Drills BE 1-40R 0/B Drill,
model /power
t
model /power
Southwest ,
model /power
capacity
32
capacity
28
capacity
capacity
capacity
capacity
capacity
capacity
capacity
8000
capacity
reqmts
(tons)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(gall)
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-titne employees at the s"1te: Average for 1973: 40
In July, 1974
69
one shift, five daya (80 aaployooo uork
six eonths, Chen to conotruccion acclvloo)
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area:
_, In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973:
Type Of Work:
X of year worked
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Tine Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Acne
Town
Number
Sheridan
Town
Rmcbcatcr
Town
Humber
(lumber
-------
53
10. Goal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Redaction
Plan and by Permit:
Federal: _ 1, State: _ X, Private: 100 _ X
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" Himbcrs: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: _ , State Permit: _
(l.f any)
12. Disposition of Surface in Jul-y 1974: Entlnnted froa Photography.
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoi'ls: 360 acres
(including areas leveled for
dr-agMne or shovel-')
(BO Spoiils Degraded or Being Regraded: 593 acres
(includes 23 acres' of nloccl-lancouo)
(G) Revcgetated (Seeded and for Growing1): 530 _ acres (part of pact B)
(D) "Orphan SpoMs" and Open Hater: 50 (orphan).; 100 (ponded-) acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: j.90 acres
TOTAL Disturbed (A+B-HHE) - 1293 aeron.
13. Average Analyses of Goal:
Name of GoaO Seam DJ.atz. iZ _ , Moisture 23.3 X, Ash (wet) 6 . X
Ma20('Ash) 1.A9 X.Sul.fur (wet) .86 X. Btu (wet) 9300 per Ib.
Name of Goal Scan Plats 13 _ , Moisture 19 X, Ash (wet) 4. f, X
Ha20(Ash)^25__X, Sulfur (wet) .3. X. Btu (wet) 9700. per Ib.
Name of Goal Sean Honor eh _ ,, Moisture 21 X, Ash (wet) 5.8 X
Ha90(ash) 3.$. X. Sulfur (wet) .....6 X. Btu (wet) 9550 per Ib.
Name of Coal Seam Average _ ,, Moisture 24X, Ash (wet) 5.3 X
Jt. Sul.fur (wet) 0.61 X. Btu (wet) 9300 per Ib.
V4. Other Itesns of Interest such as previous (historical) raethods of raining
Including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, anrount of water
removed from -workings, water quality data.
Considerable old underground aining In this area (sea attachment) ; also,
underground ainc fire and subnidonco north of Che Tongue River (Northern
half of flection 15} ; old aining nornoHy rcaovod no aorc than 10 foot of
conl leaving root, os roof; water la puapcd froa workings oapeclnl-ly
portion in Section IS.
Bloating AK-FO & dynnnitc 9' apaclng coal, 25'1 apacing overburden 0.30/iton
coal; Q.Tt/.yd? overburden
Fit width & 600'
Rye is "Kurse Crop", wheat grnosos.
Fit nuop pucpcd to Gooae Crook.
-------
PLATE 10
BIG HORN NO. 1 MINE
Big Horn Coal Company
Sheridan County, Wyoming
28JUI74 1440-1516 hrs
MILES
-------
Photographs collected along south to north
flight line. Horizon of photograph is west.
Continue to lower se-
quence of photographs.
LU
* «
*^ — C O
£353
® S c «•
a: o f t
0 »I a
— .H> ^ oo
£0 CQ w d
-------
56
Section 5-7
Decker No. 1 Mine - Plates 12 and 13
Both true color and color infrared photography are provided for
this mine. The true color was collected on 28 July 1974 from low
altitude and is a mosaic. The color infrared was collected on 23 June
1975 from 17,300 meters (56,700 feet) and is a portion of a single
frame. The large body of water to the east of the mine is the Tongue
River Reservoir. A significant amount of infiltration enters the
mine from that reservoir.
The thick coal bed (about 16 meters or 52 feet) has permitted
mining at a rate approaching 6 to 7 million tons per year without much
change in the mine plan from July 1974 to June of 1975. Reclamation
activities are represented by the plot work centered on the test pit
at the lower center of the photographs, and by the grading and emergence
of seedlings shown at the north (upper) end of the pit beyond the mining
operation. Spoils to the east of the exposed coal bed are not yet graded
to any great degree since the mining plan also incorporates eastward
mining of the same coal bed. The results of initial grading and re-
seeding of the spoils are evident in the color infrared 1975 photography
by the strip of magenta paralleling the pit in the west and north.
Drainage diversion ditches produce the white or brown paths along
the western side of the mine. These lead drainage away from the mine
into drainages not affected by the mine. The 1974 color mosaic shows
the sedimentation pond at the extreme southeast corner of the mine. One
can see coal haul trucks in the 1974 photography, but only the dragline
is as clearly shown in the 1975 imagery.
The 1975 IR imagery vividly portrays strong vegetative growth in
the valley of the Tongue River. Comparison of the two Plates shows
the differences between a full (1975) and a drained (1974) reservoir.
Additional mining is planned for the east and northwest side of
the reservoir.
-------
57
DESCRIPTION OF HIKE
1. Mine: Docker Hunbor 1
2. Location: State: Hontonn County: Big Horn Township: 9S
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 40E Sec: 15.16
3. Mine Operators: Pecker Coal Coapany (N*Wytonn, IncV) Peter Kievlt o.nd
Pacific Power 4 Light
A, Production Rates: For Year 1974: 4,159.287 tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 7,000,000 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: tons per month
5. Destination of Goal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( } to
Hnvonnn, IL Steaa Electric
City, StateUse
(8) Cotaonweolth Edison
Tronafcr to B«ige
(B) Estimated tons per year ( 6 X Id6 ) to
City, StateUs¥
Detroit Edioon
(C) Estimated tons per year ( 1.25 X 1Q6 } to
City, StateUse
6, Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above): via roil apur (19
nllcn) to Burlington Northern naln Una near Ucroos, Wyoning.
(A) Unit Train (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Burlington
Northern , f Cars 100 per train 13 to 21/uoofc
~~~~~~~~^^^ unit)
Approximate rate of car loading »1.2 rain, per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for loading 27,000 tons 2 niloo, 700-ton truck
bin, prlsary crunhern
to 8", nccondary cruobora
to 2"
7. Stratigraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 70 feet; range to 150 feet
0/B • Sandstone & Shale, Faulted on South by Burn Line
(B) Name of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (youngest to oldest)
Dictz Si 52
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams Dicti 02 15
7.0-75, , thickness and approximate separation fron
(20+30) mined seams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average , Maximum: 150
Minimum: 30
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: X (measured; estimated)
-------
8. Hajor Operating Equipment:
Draglines: B-E 1300-H
BE 1570
model
Shovels:2 oa BK 19SB
58
J>1 (cuyd), Z8S (ft)t 1750 (hp)
capacity boom length povrer rqmts
{cuyd), under conntruction
model
capacity
(cuyd),
capacity
(ft), 600/1500(hp)
_
max. radius power rqmts
(extended range)
Trucks:
model
9 , Cat PW 660
16 (cuyd). (ft), (kw)
capacity max.radius power rqrnts .
65-70
model/power
Euclid
7i umber
1
number model/power
(150-ton WABCO on order)
Cat 637
capacity
120
capacity
Jtons)
Jtons)
(cuyd)
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End:
Loaders
Water
Trucks:
number
3
number
1
number
1
number
1
nuflber
: 1
number
number
model/power
D-9
model /power
Cat 988
model /power
B-E 60-R Overburden Drill
model/power
Gardner-Denver Coal Drill
model/power
Dart
node! /power
model /power
capacity
capacity
capacity
, 480 hp
capacity
capacity
23
capacity
*
capacity
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973:
120
220 in July, 1974 Three ohifcn - seven days for dragline
(180 Dining) Tuo shifts - six days for loading
One uhlft - five days for shooting
(B) Huraber of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area:
, In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973:
Type of Work:
of year worked
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Time Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Town
number
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal:
$, State:
X, Private:
-------
59
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" numbers: (as of July 1974) Lcaoe Area: 16,000 nemo
Federal Lease: , State Permit:
{if any)
12. Disposition of Surface in 1975:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: 680 acres
(including areas leveled for (Pit: 3100 ncrcn)
dragline or shovel)
(B) Spoils Rcgraded or Being Regraded: 268 acres
(C) ftevegetated (Seeded and for Growing): acres
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Water: acres J> 2185
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: acres
1 3. Average Analyses of Coal:
Name of Coal Sean Diets fl , Moisture _23__X, Ash (wet) 3.7 X
Sulfur (wet) P.* i, Btu (wet) 9650 per Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous (historical) methods of mining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, amount of water
removed from workings, water quality data.
Renorvos Estimated ac 1,000,000,000 tons,
Slanting AJt-FO 15" apnclng to ISO' deep, overburden and coal - ncthana
conl ahot In tvo bcnchcn. encountered In
coal
Pit Width: 120-150'.
Coal nlncd in two benches.
Plan Irrigation.
Rcacarch arcan for Montana Stnte; USDA-Korcat Service.
-------
PLATE 12
DECKER NO. 1 MINE
(WEST DECKER)
Decker Coal Company
Big Horn County, Montana
28Jul74 1210-1227 hrs
-------
PLATE 13
DECKER NO. 1 MINE
(WEST DECKER)
Decker Coal Company
Big Horn County, Montana
23Jun75 Color IR High Alt.
-------
62
Section 5-8
Sarpy Creek (Absaloka) Mine - Plate 14
This mine is one of the newest in the Northern Great Plains.
It is represented in this report by low-level aerial photography flown
on 21 July 1974 presented in Plate 14 in true color. The area is
characteristic of biological ecosystems at the moderate altitudes
of eastern Montana as evidenced by the higher density of evergreen
trees and shrubs.
The mine has more recently been called "Absaloka." It is located
on Ceded lands adjacent to the Crow Indian Reservation.
A sediment pond dam is visible at the upper right (northwest)
corner of the disturbed area, just east of the rail line embankment.
Some grading had taken place at the time of this photograph. Those
areas are located principally along the southwestern boundary of the
mine. One seeded stockpile of topsoil is visible immediately south of
the upper sedimentation pond.
The mine borders agricultural land on the east and northeast.
Also visible is reddish baked shale at the southeast edge of the mine
and along the northwestern side of the disturbed area.
-------
63
DESCRIPTION OF MINE
Mine: Sarpy Creek (Abnaloka)
2. Location: State: Montana County: Big Horn Township: lij
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 37E Sec: 23. 2S. 26
3. Mine Operators: Hcatnorcland Coal Coapany - Horriaon-KnudnonCOperators) -
Kcvcncc Oil Coapany - Pctvn Virginia Corporation
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: Meu tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 1.500.000 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: tons per ironth
5. Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( ) to
Steoa Electric
City, State Else
Northern States Pwr (Minn)
Interstate Pwr (Minn)
Dniryland Coop (Vie)
Wisconsin Pwr fi Light
Total
(B) Estimated tons per year (4.048 X 10° ) to
Peroria. Ill (1 X 106 tpy) Stcaa Electric
City, StateDie
Central Illinois Lghtg
northern SCatco Pvc (Minn.
- Major)
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above): via 37-nilc npnr
to Burlington h'orthcm near Hyuhaa, Montana.
(A) (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Burlington
northern , f Cars HO per train HA*
Approximate rate of car loading: ._ mln. pr car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for Loading tons
7. StratigrapMc Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 80 feet; range 20 to 200 feet
(B) Name of Coal Searas Mined and Average Thickness 1n feet: (youngest to oldest)
Stray 01 4J
ROB child-McKay 30'
Stray t2 __ 4*
Rob inn on . 20'
Average total thickneaa - 58'
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams
30 , s . 60 thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average 183 , Maximum:
Minimum:
-------
64
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils:
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: Marion 8200-11K
30
_S (measured; estimated)
75 (cuyd), 325 (ft).
(kit)
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End
Loaders
Hater
Trucks:
model
model
4
number
4
number
3
number
1
number
1
number
1
number
: 2
number
number
capacity boom
(cuyd),
capacity boon
Hack
model /power
(Haul 3200' + 500' each year)
Tcrcx T24
model/power
D-9 Cat
model /power
C-8 Cnt
model/power
BE45R 0/3 Drill (11")
model/power
Card-Den 16B Coal Drill (6")
model/power
HichlRan 475
modelTpower
rode!/ power
length power rqints
(ft), (kw)
length power rqmts
, 100 (115) tons
capac 1 ty
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
, (cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
18 (cuyd)
capacity
i (cuyd)
capacity
70
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973:
_ In July, 1974 TWO shifts
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area:
, In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973:
Type of Work:
% of year worked
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Time Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Town
Number
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
100Z Crow Indian
Federal: %, State: S, Private: X
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" Numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease:
, State Permit:
(if any)
Lease Area: 14,746 Acres
12. Disposition of Surface 1n January 1976:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils:
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
acres
(B) Spoils Regraded or Being Regraded:
157
acres
-------
65
(C) Revegetated {Seeded and for Growing): acres
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Water: acres ^ 187
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: acres
1 3. Average Analyses of Coal:
Harac of Coal Sean Roaebud-HcKay Moisture 23.75;, Ash (wet) 9.22 %
Sulfur (wet) 0.61 %t Btu (wet) 8573 per Ib.
Name of Coal Seam Stray 91 , Moisture 23.59s, Ash (wet) 12-8* X
Sulfur (wet) 1.53 •t> Btu (wet) 8223 per Ib.
Naae of Coal Seam Robinaon , Moisture "-SSg. Ash (wet) 7-79 %
Sulfur (wet) 0-32 ». Btu (wet) 8S94 pcr Ib.
Name of Coal Scam Average , Moisture 2S X. Ash (wet) 9 f.
Sulfur (wet) 0-7 t. Btu (wet) ^50 per Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous (historical) methods of mining
Including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, aroount of water
reinoved from workings, water quality data.
Rcocrvos Entinntcd at 800,000.000 tono; 625,000,000 "oinable" tomi
Projected Production: 4 X 10* cpy 1975; 5 X 106 tpy 1976; 15 X 106 tpy a? 1988
Overburden Pattern: -S»30' X 30' ABFO uocd
-------
PLATE 14
ABSALOKAMINE
(SARPY CREEK)
Westmoreland Coal Company
Big Horn County, Montana
21Jul74 1130-1132 hrs
MILES
-------
67
Section 5-9
Big Sky Mine - Plates 15 and 16
This mine was missed during the 1974 data gathering exercise and
is therefore represented by color infrared imagery collected on 23
June 1975 from an altitude of 17,450 meters (57,300 feet) (Plate 16)
and by color infrared imagery collected on 11 July 1975 from an
altitude of 1,830 meters (6,000 feet) (Plate 15). The mine is relatively
small in comparison to the nearby Rosebud Mine and is located south of
Col strip, Montana and west-southwest of the lower portion of the
Rosebud Mine (See Section 5-10). The railroad loop is evident on the
right-hand (east) side of the upper pit. The magenta tones of the
color infrared photograph trace the principal drainages of the area while
contrasting with the whites of the gravel roads and mined areas, and
with the black of the exposed coal (along the left side of the upper
pit) and coal in the coal preparation area. The color infrared imagery
has not identified much vegetation growth over the disturbed areas except
at the right bottom of the lower disturbed area in Plate 15 where some
extremely vigorous vegetation is mixed in with more barren material. A
portion of, this is also,represented in the 1975 photography of Plate 16.
The light blue areas show accumulation of water. Greyish spoil and some
less vigorous vegetative growth also appear across the disturbed areas.
This mine is located, as was the previously discussed one, in
some evergreen areas representative of upland drainage areas.
-------
68
DESCRIPTION OF t
1 - Mine: Bin Sky
2. Location: State: Montana County: Rosebud Township: IK
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 41£ Sec: 13,14,15.22,23.26.27
3. Mine Operators: Eeabody Coal Cospany
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 1,971,643 tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 2.700.000 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: tons per conth
5. Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 1,360.000 ) to
CohaanoE. & Aurora, Minn Stoaa Electric
City, Stateuse
(Minnesota Pwr 4 Light)
6. Description of UongrHaul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A1) Unit Train (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Burlington.
Hocthcrn ,, i Cars 100. per train 3 trains per week
Approximate rate of car loading 1.2 ain. per car (100 ton1)
Storage Capacity for loading 25,000 tons
7. Stratigraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness feet; range SO to 90 feet
(8) Marac of Goal Seams Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (.youngest to oldest)
RoBcbud , 26
McKay 10
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Scans (feet): (-youngest to oldest)
Deeper Searas
8-35 ' , ahnlc ' thickness and' approximate separation froei
mined scans.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average _ ., Kax-inu/ra: _
Minimum: _
(E) Bulk-ing Factor for Spoils: _ % {measured; cst-itnated1)
Major Operating Equipment:
Drag 1-1 ncs:
Shovels:
Trucks:
Morion 7.800
BO'dcl
Marlon 7.400
mtfdeT
Morion 191 ,
'rao'deT
It ., KH Dace _ .
30 (cuyd), . ,(ft), Korth Pit
capa'city boom Vength
W .(cuyd)., 175 .(ft), south Pic
capacity boom Vength
16 ..(cuyd.), (.ft), ,{ikw)
capa'city max. radius 'power rqmts
.120. . ('tons)
number
(Changing to Euclid) & 3 D-9 Ones
1 Ford 5000 Ttvtdtot
-------
69
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End
Loaders
Hater
Trucks:
l
nutriber
2
number
1
number
l
number
number
•
number
HABCO
model /power
Cat D-8
model /power
BE 50-R Overburden Drill
model /power
BE 40-R Coal Drill 6"
model /power
model/power
rodel/power
•
capacity
capacity
10 5/8",
capacity
•
capacity
capacity
•
capacity
(cuyd)
{cuyd)
{cuyd)
{cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973: 2$
in 1974
(8) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
work-ing essentially full-time for this nine: (Average for 1973)
In local area: , In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: , % of year worked
Type of KorJc:
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Time Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Town Number
10. Goal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal: X, State: X, Private: %
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" Huabers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: , State Permit:
(if any)
12. Disposition of Surface in 1974:
(A) Active Pl.t and "Active" Spoils: 226 acres
(Including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(B-) Spoils Rcgraded or Being Rcgraded: acres'
(G) Revegetated (Seeded and for Growing.): acres
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: acres
13. Average Analyses of Coal:
Hame of Coal Seam Rosebud , Moisture 24.9 t, Ash (wet) ft.'
397
Sulfur (wet) 0.74 ». Btu (wet) 8600 per Ib.
-------
70
Name of Goal Scam McKay , Moisture X, Ash (wet)
Sulfur (wet) S, Btu (wet) per Ib.
Name of Goal Scan Average , Moisture 20-255, Ash (wet) »•*
Sul.fur (wet) 0.6 t, Btu (wet) »750 per Ib.
14. Other I-toms of Interest such as previous (historical) methods of mining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, airount of water
from workings, water quality data.
Blasting AX-TO *= 20-30' npacing.
Incocburdon ahnlc is aquifer.
-------
PLATE 15
BIG SKY MINE
Peabody Coal Company
Rosebud County, Montana
11Jul75
0.26
MILES
0.6
-------
PLATE 16
BIG SKY MINE
Peabody Coat Company
Rosebud County, Montana
23Jun75 Color IR High Alt.
0.6
MILES
-------
73
Section 5-10
Rosebud Mine - Plates 17, 18, and 19
This mine was photographed in July 1974 and again in June 1975.
Imagery from the first flight, on 21 July 1974, is presented in true
color (see Plate 17). The imagery for 23 June 1975 is color infrared.
The true color is a mosaic of low altitude photography while the color
infrared was obtained at an altitude of 17,450 meters (57-,330 feet).
We are afforded then the opportunity to again compare types of imagery
and changes in tine. Plate 19 provides an oblique view of the oper-
ation which includes the power plant, also collected on 28 July 1974.
Examination of the plowed fields show the alternating stubble and
emerging June growth. Very healthy growth is evidenced in the irregular
plots intersected by the roads by the green-brown and deep magenta hues.
The southeast portion of the disturbed area (lower right) shows this
quite well. The less vigorous growth immediately south of the coal
train loading facilities is apparent in the June 1975 photography.
Note also the completion of mining along the west edge of this same
southern portion of the mine. The 1975 imagery shows the expansion
of mining to the west, plus the additional construction associated
with the town of Col strip and the two units of the power plant (located
just east of the town). Expanded trailer court facilities in Col strip
are also evident.
Vegetative growth at the bottom of the old Burlington Northern
spoils is evidenced in both photographs (east of the town and plant
site).
Most assuredly this site offers a full spectrum of examples of
energy development activities. Note also the new activities being con-
ducted in the creek valley to the west of Colstrip (Plate 18).
This mine is the site of numerous experimental activities regarding
hydrology of spoils and revegetation.
-------
74
DESCRIPTION OF MIME
1 . Mine: Rosebud
2. Location: State: Montana County: Rooob.ud Township:
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or arc conducting operations) Range: &1£ Sec: 1.2.11.12
3. Mine Operators: Htmtccn Energy Cespnny - Montana Pouor (Long Construction
Coapany Operators)
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 4,253...781 tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 2..837,OOP tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: tons per month
5. Destination of Goal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 780,000 ) to
BU.-li.tiKS., HI Stcots Electric
City. State TJse
(Montana Power & E., Corvette Sta)
(B') Estirsated tons per year ( 1.45.6..OOP ) to
St. Paul. Minn Stooc ElocCric
City, State Tlse
(Korthcen SCacca Pur)
(G) Estimated tons per year ( 2..600..OOP ) to
ChicaRO., HI Stcan Electric
City. ~StateUse
(Cossaonwcalth Edison)
(Total: 4,836,000)
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above): via 35-aile rai-l
spur North to Burllngton-Sorthern sain line.
(•A-) Unit Train (e.g., unit train'). Ownership: .
., I Cars 5.0 per train 3 traina per week
(B-) Unit Train (e.g., unit tra-in'J, Ownership:
_, * Gars ZO per tra-in 4 trains per week
(C) Ualt Train fc-9-i unit train'), Ownership:
, * Cars 100 par tra-in 3-7 traina per week
Approximate rate of car loading pin. per car (100 ton!)
Storage Capacity for loading tons
Stratigraphic Data:
(A-) Average Overburden Thickness 9.0 feet; range 3.0. to 160 feet
Clay Snndotont, 30I: in new pit
(B') Dane of Goal Seams Mined and Average Thickness In feet: (.youngest to oldest)
. Roaqbud 27
(G) Average Thickness of Partings Between Scans Gfeet): (.youngest to oldest)
Deeper Scans McKay
thickness and' approximate separation from
mined seams.
-------
75
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average , Maxlnvum:
Minimus):
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: % (measured; estir-ated)
Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: Marion 360 , 60 (CUyd.). (ft), under
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End:
Loaders
Hater
trucks:
model
model
BE 105Q-B
node!
BE 550-B
model
BE 280-B
model
3
number
-10 ,
nuaber
3
number
i
number
2
number
i
number
l
number
1
number
1
i
number
t
number
capacity
. , s (cuyd)
capacity
24 (cuyd) ,
capacity
17 (cuyd}
capacity
17 (cuyd) ,
capacity
model /power
100 UP Loco
model /power
631C
model/power
D84
mo'deT/powor
D96
model '/power
HD41
model /power
BE4S-R 0/» Drill
node I/ power
CP 650 O/B Drill
model/power
overburden drill, 2 coal
Houch 120-C
model/power
model/power
boon length conntruction
, (ft), 700/1750 ht>"old"
boom length power rqnits
150 ( ft ) , stripping
boon length
(ft). (kw)
max. radius power rqats
5ft (ft), Ckw)
max. radius power rqnts
100 (tons)
capacity
120 (tons)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
320 hp
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
drills
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
9. Employment:
(A) Hutabcr of fulfl-time employees at the site: Average for 1973:
120
ISO
(80 alning)
in July, 1974
Two shifts, five days
(8') Nuiaber of other full-tine employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially ful'1-tirac for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area:
, In Headquarters:
(G) Contract labor: Average for 1973:
Type of Work:
I of year worked
-------
76
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Time Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Town Number
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal: X, State: X, Private: %
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" Numbers: (as of July 1974}
Federal Lease: 7,175 aercn State Permit:
(If any)
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: acres
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(8) Spoils Regraded or Being Regraded: acres
(C) Revegetated (Seeded and for Growing): acres
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: acres
13. Average Analyses of Coal:
Name of Coal Seam Rooebud , Moisture 24.33;. Ash (wet) 8.1
Sulfur (wet) 0.75 %, Btu (wet) 8628 per lb.
Name Of Coal Seam Rosebud , Moisture 28 %, Ash (wet) 8.0
Sulfur (wet) 0.7 X, Btu (wet) 8750* per lb.
*EHhgc 8600-9000
Name of Coal Seam McKay , Moisture 26.1 it. Ash (wet) 6.87 %
Sulfur (wet) 1.28 j. Btu (wet) 8514 pcr ID.
Name of Coal Scam McKay , Moisture 22 j, Ash (wet) 9.0 8
Sulfur (wet) 1.2 t, Btu (wet) 8300 per lb.
Name of Coal Seara Average , Moisture 25.St. Ash (wet) *•_**__%
Sulfur (wet) 0.8 ai. Btu (wet) ggpo per lb.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous (historical) methods of mining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, amount of water
removed from workings, water quality data.
Rooarvoo Eatlaatod at 850,000,000 tons.
Blasting AN-FO 4 Dynaaitc coal and overburden.
Pic Hidth 120' to 160'.
First Year plant rye, onto; then replace with wheat grasses.
V of coal left on-floor an cushion over gray underclay; wedge 3' wide at
bane left to retain spoil.
Soae rovcgecntion efforts irrigated.
26" water pipeline front Yel-louotone River,
Two 330 KW unito under construction.
Annual precipitation 15".
-------
'V. *
V
.-'0 <^>-
Sij^-Sj^ , -.
"* F-'!- ,'-§* -•."">' ;>'
mffm •
PLATE 17
ROSEBUD MINE
Wtslorn Enoryy Company
Hosohud Crjunty, Montana
21JHI74 13G3-H5.1 Mrs
-------
-------
PLATE 18
ROSEBUD MINE
Western Energy Company
Rosebud County, Montana
23Jun75 Color IR High Alt.
(Two pages including pro-
ceeding page)
0.5
MILES
-------
80
Continue to lower se-
quence of photographs.
Photographs collected along south to north
flight line. Horizon of photograph is west.
Ill
in e 5 o
LJ « o in
DC r } __
LU W
ill I
Ov> vt .^
-S o co
EC S it «
UJ
H
-------
81
Section 5-11
Savage Mine - Plates 20 and 21
This mine is represented by low altitude, true color photography
mosaicked for Plate 20 as well as by two enlargements of the true color
and of concurrently collected color infrared imagery presented in Plate
20. All information was collected on 22 July 1974.
The mine is a relatively small export operation and provides an
example of grading and emergent vegetation over mined lands in agri-
cultural areas. Mining is progressing westward. Grading has been
accomplished over the southern pit. That southern area is again
represented in the two enlargements of Plate 20. The magenta hues
of the emergent vegetation in Plate 21b are noteworthy. The pit
area to the north on Plate 20 also shows vegetative growth. A number
of impoundments are visible. The false color (color infrared) print
of Plate 21b defines the natural drainage channels and a rapidly
greening area just southv/est of the coal loading facilities which
appears as a green area on Plate 21a.
New mining activity is apparent to the south of the older mined
areas.
Some reclamation-related experiments are being carried out at
this site.
-------
82
DESCRIPTION OF HIKE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Mine: Savage
Location: State: Montana County: Bichland
U'll acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 57E Sec:
Mine Operators: Knife Rivor Coal Coapnny
Production Rates: For Year 1974: 31-2.785
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974:
Monthly Average for 1974:
Destination of Goal: (A-) Estimated tons per year ( 320
Township: 20N
22,27
tons per year
320..0.00 tpy
tons per month
,000 ) to
Sidney, MT Steea Electric
6.
City, State Use
(50HH Lewis & Clark Station)
Description of Long-Haul Transportation (-reference 5 above): Cecil Spue
(A) (e.g., unit tra-1n), Ownership: Burlington.
Horchnm , 1 Cars per train
Approximate rate of car loading: rain, per
Storage capacity for loading tons
car
7. StratlgrapMc Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness feet; range to feet
(B) Name of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness In feet: (.youngest to oldest)
Punt 9=20'
. lotal 20'
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams __.
, , _. thickness and approximate separation from
mined scams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average , Haxiraura: 90
Minimum:
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: t (measured; estimated)
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: .7M. :, .6. (cuyd).. (.ft), .(>kw)
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Eront Endj
Loaders number "~ ao"del7powe> capac'ity
model'
E6H.655
mo'deT
A.
number
.,
number
l
number
1: 1 ..
capacity
, 3. .(cuyd).
capacity
"Rodel/power
nwdel/poHef
jnodel^poHer
boom length power rqmts
-. •(•«)., Okw)
max. radius power rqmts
20. .(tons')
'capacity
, .Ccuyd')
capacity
.fcuyd)
capacity
,.,. .— tcuyd)
-------
83
Hater , (cuyd)
Trucks: number raodeiypowercapacity
9. Employment:
(A1) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973: 18
__ 1n July, 1974 one shift
(8) Huraber of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-title for this nine: (Average for 1973)
in local area: , In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: , X of year worked
Type of Work:
(0) Places of Residence of FuM-Tine Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Town Huaber
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal: X. State: X. Private: X
in. Goal Lease and "Perait" numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: _, State Remit:
Of any)
12. Disposition of Surface In 1976:
(A-) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: 170 acres
(Including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(B1) Spoifls Regraded or Being Regraded: „ acres
(G) Revegetated (Seeded and for Growing1}: acres
152
(0) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Water: acres
(•E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: acres.
13. Average Analyses of Goal1:
Name of Coal Sean Ay.orage ., Hoisture 38 X. Ash (wet) 7-7.5 X
Sulfur (wot) -. .0..5..X. Btu (wet) 6500 per Ib.
H. Other I-teras of Interest such as prev-lous (historical1) methods of nining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, amount of water
renaved from work-ings, water quality data.
-------
PLATE 2O
SAVAGE MINE
Knifo Rlvor Coal Company
Richland County, Montana
22-M74 0946-0966 hrs
0,6
MILES
-------
PLATE 21 a
SAVAGE MINE
Knife Rlvor Coal Company
Rlchlond County, Montana
22Jul74 Truo Color Low Alt.
GOO
-------
PLATE 21 |) SAVAGE MINE
Knife River Coal Company
R'ichland County, Montana
22Jul74 Color IR Low Alt.
500
MILES
-------
87
Section 5-12
Peerless (Gascoyne) Mine - Plate 22
This mine is represented in true color photography flown on
23 July 1974. The mine has recently expanded and construction
activities associated with that expansion are in evidence on the
mosaic. The mine is, as are many North Dakota mines, located in
farmed (cultivated) areas. Reclamation activity has increased and
the graded spoils to the east as well as areas immediately north of
the mine facilities show evidence of successful seeding and of
invasion of volunteer growth.
Substantial water appears to be present in the open, non-working
pits and the entire area presents the impression of a relatively shallow
ground water table.
This mine is a site of a detailed hydrologic investigation of
the effects of mining and reclamation.
-------
88
DESCRIPTION OF MINE
1 . Mine: Cascoync (Pccrloss)
2. Location: State: North Dakota County: Bovsan _ Township: 131X
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 99W Sec: 32.33.34.35.27.28,29
3. Mine Operators: _ Knife River Coal HininR Coapony _
4. Production Rates: For Year 1973: 185,011 _ tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 223'.039 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: 18,500 _ tons per month
5. Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 114,000 _ ) to
Ort
-------
89
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: 7520
32 Jcuyd), 235 (ft). 2500 hp Under cor-
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End
Loaders
Hater
Trucks:
model
955
model
BE 195-B
model
51-B
model
>
number
»
number
i
number
Hone ,
number
None ,
number
» i
number
•
number
capacity boon length power rqints sti
, 3 (cuyd), 95 (ft), Dicacl (kw)
capacity boom length power rqmts
(cuvd). 59 (ft). 600/1500 fkwl
capacity max.
, 3 (cuyd) ,
capacity max.
DM-831SX
model/power
637
model/power
MRS
model/power
model/power
model/power
Hough
model/power
B-835X
model/power
radius power
(ft), Diesel
rqmts
{kw)
radius pwr rqmts
20 (tons)
capacity
capacity
15
capacity
»
capacity
capacity
*
capacity
t
capacity
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
{cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973: 22
26 in July, 1974
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area:
Nona
, In Headquarters:
Hone
$ of year worked
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973:
Type of Kork:
(D) Places of Residence of Full-time Employees (and approximate number
residing there}:
Reader
Town
Scrancon
Number
10
Town
Bovaan
Humber
i
Town
(lot in named town:
Number
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974. currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal: 12.6
». State: Hone
Private:
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: 01912?
, State Permit:
" (if any)
-------
90
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974:
(A) Active Pit and "Actfve" Spoils: 35 acres
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(B) Spoils Regraded or Being Regraded: 1*0 acres
(C) Revegetatcd (Seeded and for Growing): 42 acres
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Water: Kone acres
{£) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: 65 acres
(F) "Inactive" : _ 39 acres
13. Average Analyses of Coal:
Name of Goal Sean 2nd , Moisture _41_X, Ash (wet) 7.6 I
t. ^""^- - - ""~^^^~^^^~
Sodium {wat)3.4X.Sulfur (wet) .75 t. Btu (wet) 6034 per Ib.
Name of Goal Sean Average , Moisture 40 t, Ash (wet) 8 t
Sulfur (wet) 1=1.5 I. Btu (wet) 6100 per Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous (historical) methods of mining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, amount of water
removed from workings, water quality data.
During 1974, tills aine uot> expanding - che actual nlnlng operation hod no
contract labor. All contract labor was for expansion purpooco.
-------
PLATE 22
PEERLESS MINE
Knife River Coal Company
Bowman County, North Dakota
23Jul74 1158-1209 hrs
0.5
MILES
-------
92
Section 5-13
Lehigh (Husky) Mine - Plate 23
This mine is represented by true color aerial photography
collected on 23 July 1974. The mine is a relatively small one
supplying a briquette and chemical plant. Reclamation has been
and is taking place along south and east portions of the mine and
grading is suggested at the northwest corner of the mosaic. The
limit of seeding along the north appears to follow a fence line.
Note the subsidence features along the west side of the mine
pit and plant caused by collapse of older underground drifts and haulage
ways mined into the same coals now being mined from the surface.
-------
93
DESCRIPTION OF MIME
1. Mine: Lehlgh (Husky.) Mine
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range:
2. Location: State: ^Moith Dakota County: stark Township: 139H
Sec: 7,8. 17
9SW
Mine Operators:
Husky Induotries
Production Rates: For Year 1974:
160,657
tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 160.000 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: 13,300
_tons per rr.onth
) to
Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 160,OOP
* . Sorch DakotaHusky IndusErica Inc.
City, State
Use
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above): Not applicable.
For ovn unc.
(A)
Je.g., unit train). Ownership:
, I Cars per train
Approxinwte rate of car loading
Storage Capacity for Loading
7. Stratigraphic Data:
(•A1) Average Overburden Thickness 67
_min. per car (100 ton>)
tons
; range 50
to
75 feet
(BO Name of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (-youngest to oldest
9 fcot
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): {.youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams
., , thickness and approximate separation from
mined scans.
67
, Maximum: 75
50
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average
Minimum:
(£) Bulk-ing Factor for Spoils: X (measured; estimated)
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Dr-agVines:
Shovels:
Trucks:
Bucyruo
model'
Bucyruo
model-
?SH
6 (cuydO.
capacity
, 3.l/2.{cuyd),
capacity
, . . .2 (cuyd).
100 .(ft) ,
boon length
. (ft),
BIX. ra'dius
Oft).
. . .Okw)
power rqmts
,Ckw)
power rqnts
.Okw)
raodcT
capac-lty
91HJB Euclid
mo'deiypower
LRUSH Mack
max. r*d1us power rqats
13. .(tons)
nuaber
notfel/power
capacity
26
capacity
Jtons)
-------
94
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End:
Loaders
Hater
Trucks:
Hone i
nusiber
None ,
number
Kono »
nuaber
S'onC >
number
l
number
nwdel/power
model/power
model /power
jaodel /power
International
model /power
t
capacity
capacity
*
capacity
»
capacity
capacity
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
{cuyd)
(cuyd-)
9. Employment:
(•A) (lumber of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973: 8_
8 in 1974
(B) Number of other full-time enployees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area: , In Headquarters:
(G) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: __5 . * of year worked 75
Type of Work:
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Tirae Enployees (and approximate number
residing there):
Olekinnon
Town
10. Goal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Penal t:
Federal: X, State: X, Private: 100 %
11. Goal Lease and "Permit" Numbers: (as of July 1974')
Federal Lease: , State Penal t: £29.
(i-f any) (Expires 1/1/76) (14 acres)
12. Disposition of Surface In July 1974:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: 16 acres
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(B) Spoils Regraded or Being Regraded: IX acres
(C) Revegetated (Seeded and for Growing): 18 acres
(0) "Or-phan Spoils" and Open Hater: -—- acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: _5 acres
(F) "Inactive": 37 acres
13. Average Analyses of Goal:
Nime of Goal Sean, - Moisture _32_X, Ash (wet) __J_X
Sulfur (wet) l X. Btu (wet) _MOO per Ib.
14 Other Kerns of Interest such as previous (historical) methods of mining
lauding underground, water-bearing strata encountered, anvount of water
removed from workings, water quality data.
Undorground ninlug PRE 1948.
Ko water-bearing ntrnta encouncorod.
-------
PLATE 23
LEHIGH STRIP MINE
(HUSKY NO. 2)
Husky Industries
Stark County, North Dakota
23Jul74 1300-1301 hrs
0.6
MILES
-------
96
Section 5-14
Center Mine - Plate 24
This mine is portrayed in a true color photography flown on 27
July 1974 and mosaicked. The mine provides eoal to the Milton R.
Young plant of Minnkota Power. The large lake is Nelson Lake, which
provides cooling water for the plant.
A portion of the mine extends off to the left (west) of the
mosaic. Older, ungraded spoils are evident along the south part of
the mline while grading and seeding efforts are visible along the
southeast (nearer the plant) and northern mined areas.
-------
97
DESCRIPTION OF MINE
1. Mine: Center
2. Location: State: March Dakota County: Oliver Township: U2H
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 84W Sec: 23.24.25.35.36
County: Oliver Township: 142H
Range: 83W Sec: 3^.30
County: Oliver Township: 141H
Range: 84W Sec: l
3. Mine Operators: Baukol Hoonan Inc.
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 1,563.446 tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 1.500.000 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: 130,287 tons per month
5, Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 1.563.446 ) to
Center. HP ECS (Mine-Mouth opcr)
City, StateUse
(MlnnXotn Fovar Co.)
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A) (Short Haul) RR (e.g.. unit train), Ownership:
, * Cars per train
(B) 120 ton coal haulers (e.g.. truck), Ownership: Baukol Hoonnn
, f Cars j>er train
Approximate rate of car loading min. per car (100 ton)
Storage capacity for loading tons
Stratlgraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 45 feet; range 30 to 75 feet
(clay nhalo v/bouldera)
(B) Name of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness 1n feet: (youngest to oldest)
(Top aaan has bean encountered, a n-lirlnnl mount of our production ie froo
top seam.)
Basel 11
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
variable Deeper Scams
, , thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average , Maximum:
Minimum:
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: 25 % (measured; estimated)
-------
98
8. Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: Pane
21 (cuyd),, 190 (ft).
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End:
Loaders
Water
Trucks:
model
P6B. 1500
ffioaei
4 ,
number
l
number
2
number
number
1
number
l
number
capacity
, 10 (cuyd).
capacity
KH Dart
model /power
Cat 637
model /power
Gradcro
model /power
model /power
Hlchican 475
model /power
Caterpillar
model /power
boon length power
(ft).
flux. I'julus uwr1 i
120
capacity
30
capacity
1
capacity
•
capacity
14
capacity
»
capacity
rqnts
L>(kw)
(tons)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
30
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973:
30 1n July, 1974
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area:
_. In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: Hone
Type of Work:
X of year worked
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Tine Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Contor. HP
33
Town
Hnzon-HD
Number
Town
Number
10, Coal Ownership: As of Ouly 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal:
X, State:
15
X, Private:
85
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" Numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease:
24
, State Permit:
(1f any) Expires 1/1/77
(375 acres)
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils:
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
acres
(B) Spoils Regraded or Being Regraded: » 220 acres
205 acres
(G) Revegetated (Seeded and for Growing):
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: Mono
acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: 25
(F) "Inactive": 507 acres
acres
-------
99
13. Average Analyses of Goal:
Matae of Goal Scam Hagcl , Ho1sture36-.40 X. Ash (wet) 8-11 X
Sodium i 1, Sulfur (wet) 0.7 X. Btu (wet) 62QO-6800pcr Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous ('historical) rathods of raining
Including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, arcount of water
removed f.rocn workings, water quality data.
Slanting - coal only 8-10' spacing.
Haul roads on 1500 co 1200 centers.
Ptt width - 120'.
Ash la returned to pits nnd covered vlth>25' of overburden.
HeV HW unit under conatructlon.
One area planted with grain rye; another treated with Iconarditc.
-------
PLATE 24
CENTER MINE
Baukol Noonan Inc.
Oliver County, North Dakota
27Jul74 1533-1603 hrs
-------
101
Section 5-15
Glenharold Mine - Plates 25 and 26
The Glenharold Mine, a mine of moderate size supplying a nearby
power plant, is represented by low-level true color imagery collected
on 27 July 1974. Color oblique photography collected at the same time
is presented in Plate 25. The Missouri River is visible at the upper
right corner of the mosaic as are two power plants. The unit on
the right is supplied from this mine; the unit on the left is the
United Power Association Stanton Plant and is supplied with coal from
the Indian Head mine near Beulah, North Dakota, using unit trains
(see Plate 27 in the Indian Head Mine).
The mine provides examples of many stages of reclamation. At the
bottom right (southeast) little grading and only sparse vegetation is
evident. Progressing northwestward across the mine, grading activities
are more extensive. The area is dissected by natural drainages which
have subsequently been interrupted by the rows of spoils. Test area
revegetation efforts are represented by the darker green areas near the
southwest corner of the mined area.
A more advanced (by virtue of relatively concurrent grading) mining
sequence is shown in the northern part of the mine where the coal bed
is shown exposed. Soil spreading on the light gray spoils is represented
by the striated browner hues. Some vegetative growth is also evident
in an area in the lower middle of the northern mined area.
This mine, as are the remainder of the North Dakota coal mines
addressed here, lies in the glaciated region of North Dakota.
-------
102
DESCRIPTION OF MIKE
1 . Mine: Glonhnrold
2. Location: State: North Dakota County: Oliver Township: 143H
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 84W sec: 5, 6
County: Morcor _ Township: 14JH
Range: 84K _ Sec: 3-5,8-10,13-15,18-20,
"23. 24,28-32
3, Mine Operators: _ Consolidation Coal Coapnny _
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 1,292,921 _ tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 1.300.000 tpy
Konthly Average for 1974: _ tons per month
5 . Destination of Coal : (A) Estimated tons per year ( _ ) to
Stanton, Korth Dakota _ Steam Electric _
City, State Use
(Basin Elcc Corp)
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation {reference 5 above):
(A) _ Truck _ (e.g., unit train), Ownership: _
_ , # Cars _ per train
(B) Conveyor _ (e.g., unit train), Ownership: _
_ , # Cars _ per train
(C) Rail _ (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Burlington _
northern _ . # Cars _ per train
Approximate rate of car loading _ min. per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for loading _ tons
Stratigraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 50 feet; range _ to 80 feet
(B) flame of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (youngest to oldest)
(Clay with aud-oiltotonc boulders)
Lignite 03 _ 2 _
Lignite 92
Lignite 13 8
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams
30-3^. 7-25 . thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average 8° ,t Maximum:
Minimum: ^_^
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: % (measured; estimated)
-------
Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines: B-£ 1-250B
1:03
32
(cuyd),
200 _(ft), 1450 hp (kw)
model capacity
(scheduled) , 45 (cuyd')
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Driilils:
Front End:
Loaders
Hater
Trucks:
model capacity
Marion 181-H , 17 (cuydO
irjodeT
B-B S5E
model'
4
nuetbcr
10,
nuaber
1
number
nustber
i
nuaber
2
nusibcr
2
number
i
number
l -,
nuaber
*
nirab'or
capacity
5.5 (cuydr)
capacity
Euclid 24TDT
model/power
.Cat DH. 20-
BM del -/power
Unit Rift
wi'deV/power
KQ del /power
HD-41 TtAecor
nsodel /power
D-9 Iraccor
isodeV/power
D-8 Tractor
nodel/power
Fnrin HfR. Co=pony
Rwdel'/.power
.Cnc 988
laodcl/powcr
Kwdel/power
boon length power rqnts
(ft). (M
boon length power rqnts
(ft), (kw)
nax. radius power
(ft),
(MX. radius power
60
capacity
45
capacity
196
capa'city
i
capa'city
524 hp
capacity
i
capacity
i
capad ty
2 l-W," , Cool Drill
capacity
6.5
capacity
capacity
rqnts
ffcw)
rqnts
(tons)
(tons)
.(tons)
.(cuyd')
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
78
Employment:
(•A1) Hwnber of ful'1-tlme employees at the site: Average for 1973:
.73.. . In July, 1974 1 ohlft
(B1) Huciber of other fulil-tirae employees eraployed off-site, but who are
work-ing essentla-lily full-tine for this mine: ('Average for 1973)
In -local area:
In Headquarters:
(G) Contract Labor: Average for 1973:
Type of Wor-k:
t of year worked
(0) Places Of Residence of FuM-T1rac Employees (and approximate niraber
residing there):
Town
'number
•10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federali:
„ .*, State:
X, Private:
-------
104
11. Goal Lease and "Permit" Nusbcrs: (as of July 1974')
Federal Lease: , state Penatt: I3d./-l-/76t. «.9-l-/l-/76
(1-f any) <26=io/g'/7.7.~fia^t/19/7
^29=67177.8
12. Disposition of Surface In July 1974:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spovls: 197S acres
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(B1) Spoils Regradcd or Being Regraded: acres
(G) Revegetated (Seeded and for Growing'): acres
(0) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: acres
13. Average Analyses of Goal:
Name of Goal Sean Average , Moisture 38 t. Ash (wet) 6.8 X
Sulfur (wet) ,p.6S £. Btu (wet) 6950 per Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous ('historical) nvethods of mining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, amount of water
removed from workings, water qual-ity data.
BlancIng Coal only, AH-FO and dynasice, 10' spacing.
Pit width, 120' -f 50' accena on bench.
Tvo 22QMH units under construction.
Located on South-sloping Minnourl River Mood plain.
Buckec-vhecl excavator uocd
TTOCO planted during 1973.
-------
PLATE 25
GLENHAROLD MINE
Consolidation Coal Company
Olivor, Mercor Counties,
Morth Dakota
27JUI74 1135-1202 hrs
-------
Continue to lower se-
quence of photographs.
Photographs collected along south to north
flight line. Horizon of photograph is west.
.
II;
t> £
-------
107
Section 5-16
Beulah (North and South) Mine - Plates 27 a & b
The southern portion of this mine is also represented by true
color photography collected on 23 July 1974 at low altitude. Plate
27a, a mosaic, presents this imagery and shows a relatively regular
mining pattern which is generally followed rather closely by grading
and it would appear, "top-soiling". There are some signs of emerging
vegetation on the graded and "top-soiled" areas along the south strip of
the mine. A few areas along the edges of the mined strips are not graded.
The northern portion of this mine is represented on true color
collected on 23 July 1974 at low altitude and mosaicked. Plate 27b
presents not only the visible remnants of surface mining, at the left
top (north) and right (east), but also, the perhaps more impressive
remnants of underground mining of the shallow coals. Note throughout
the area west of the Beulah North Mine, the regular pattern of depressions
caused by subsdienee jnto the drifts extending perpendicular from the main
underground haulage ways. In the case of the subsidence shown in the
north-central part of the mosaic, even the main haulage ways appear to
have collapsed.
Extensive grading has been accomplished along the southern border
of the northern mined area. Vegetative growth is also apparent there.
Vegetative growth is similarly apparent on the north and east, {and
northwest) facing spoil slopes. Trees and shrubs occur principally
at the bottom of the spoil rov/s. Grading is also apparent in the
northern section of this north mine but vegetative growth is not.
-------
108
DESCRIPTION OF MINE
1 . Mine: Beulah Mine North end South
2. Location: State: North Dakota County: Horcer Township: 143.UAH
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 87, 88W Sec: I. 2. 11. jj. 13.
14. 5. 8. 9. 16. 17
County: Oliver Township: 143
v
Range: 87 Sec: 6.7
3. Mine Operators: Knife Rivor Coal Mining Coapnny
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 1,726.349 tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 1.500.000. tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: 143,000 tons per month
5. Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 750,000 ) to
FaUo. HN Otter Tail Pur Coapnny
City, State "Use
(B) Estimated tons per year ( 500.000 ) to
Handan, HP HooCona-Dakota Utilitioa Co.
City, StateDse
(C)Estimated tons per year ( 250,ooo ) to
Huacro.uB cpoll power planta
City, StateDse
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A) Unit Train (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Burlington
Northern , I Cars 60 per train
(B) Rait Road Cars (e.g.. unit train), Ownership: Burlington
Kortham , f Cars 15 per train
(C) Rail Road Cara (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Burlington
Northern , f Cars Varies per train
Approximate rate of car loading 6 mln. per car (100 ton)
Storage capacity for loading none tons
7. Strat1graph1c Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness *° feet; range 10 to ?0 feet
(B) Maroe of Goal Seams Mined and Average Thickness 1n feet: (youngest to oldest)
Baulah-Zap bed 6', 3.2', 4^
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Scams
5 J , thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams.
-------
109
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average 40 , Maximum: go
Minimum: 10
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: 20 % (measured; estimated)
Major Operating Equipment:
Draglines:
BE 480-w
ie (cuvd). 175 (ft]. 1000
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers :
Drills:
Front End
Loaders
Water
Trucks:
model
BE SOO-W
model
BE 110-B
model
P&H 1400
model
BE 71-B
model
9 ,
number
2 .
number
l ,
number
2 .
number
•
number
; 2
number
•
number
capacity
12 (cuvd).
capacity
8 (cuyd).
capacity
6 (cuvd) .
capacity
3 (cuyd).
capacity
Euclid 35 Ldt
model /power
637 cat
model/power
M-R-S I-80S
model /power
Dozers D-9
model /power
model /power
Hough
model /power
roodYf/power
boom length power rqmts
195 (ft), 900 (kw)
boom length power rqmts
41 (ft), 250 alec (kw)
max. radius power rqmts
(ft), 75 cloc (kw)
max. radius power rqmts
(ft), 250 (kw)
max. radius power rqmts
65 (tons)
capacity
30 (cuyd)
capacity
10 (cuyd)
capacity
, (cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capaci ty
(cuyd)
capacity
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973:
72 jn juiyt 1974 Total two shifts
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
59
In local area: ttone , In Headquarters: MQQC
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: Konc X of year worked
Type of Work:
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Tirae Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Bculah
62
Town
Out- of- Town
number
10
Town
Number
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
North
Fi3eral: *2 X. State: -0- X, Private: 88 >
South
Federal:
8.2
X, State:
j,
-------
•ll'O
11. Goal Lease and "Permit" Nurabers: (as of July 19741}
Horth: Federal Lease: -USCS021807 , State Peewit: KK=57B
(if any)
South: Federal Lease: .USCS041765 State Permit:
(if any.)
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974:
(•A-) Active Pit and "Active" Spoi-ls: 168 acres
(including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel1)
•V
(B1) Spoils Rcgraded or Being Rograded: 406 acres
(G) Revegctated (Seeded and for Growing): 355 acres
(D) "Orphan Spoi'ls" and Open Hater: .500*. acres Soc JK below
(E) Support Facili-ties, Transportation Routes: 165 . acres
(F) "Inactive" 352 acres
13. Average Analyses of Goal:
Name of Goal Scam 2nd , Moisture 35.1-71. Ash (wet) 7..21- X
Sodium (wet}3.56XSulfur (wet) .78 %, Btu (wet) 7000 per Ib.
Mama of Goal Seam Average , Moisture 36. 3C, Ash (wet) ,8. I
Sulfur (wet) 1=1.5. H. Btu (wet) 6900 per Ib.
14. Other I-tems of Interest such as previous (historical'} methods of mining
Including underground, water-ibearing strata encountered, amount of water
removed frost workings, water quality data.
*Knife River anA che Horch Dakoca Ca=e and Floh Dcpnrtcent have a loone
agreement covering this artui. He ace developing the area for wl'ldllfe
hobicac and flohing. tvo pondn are under development prcnonCly, one
of uhich is stocked wich trout.
The unlcvclod npol-1 bank nrcno arc nerving ait habitat for pheasant, deer,
rabbitt«, etc.
-------
r
PLATE 27a
BEULAH SOUTH MINE
Knife River Coal Company
Mercer County, North Dakota
23Jul74 1457-1515 hrs
0.5
MILES
-------
PLATE 27b
BEULAH NORTH MINE
Knife River Coal Company
Mercer County, North Dakota
23JUI74 1520-1528 hrs
-------
113
Section 5-17
Indian Head Mine - Plate 28
This mine is represented by a mosaic of true color, low altitude,
photography flown on 23 July 1974. As do most of the established
mines in North Dakota, the Indian Head Mine shows extensive grading
and seeding, "bevelled" spoil piles and "no-grading" topography,
somewhat a function of the accepted mining practices of the past and
present.
Grading and seeding is most extensive in the areas surrounding
the two major elongated impoundments in the southern portion of the
mine and in the more recently-mined area to the north. Emergence of
vegetation is shown by the green tinges in the southern areas. The
brownish area straddling the road bordering the north edge of the
southern mined area has also received varied reclamation treatments
with some success.
This mine is now also the site of extensive experiments relating
to hydrology and reclamation activities.
-------
114
DESCRIPTION OF MIHE
1 .
2.
3.
Mine: Indian Hoad
Location: State:
(all acreage on w
corporate owners
or are conducting
Mine Operators:
North Dakota
hlcti present
have conducted
operations)
Worth Aaercian
County:
Range:
County:
Range:
County:
Range:
County:
Range:
More or
88W Sec:
Mercer
88w Sec:
Mercer
89W Sec:
Mercer
89W Sec:
Township:
144H
28-33. 19
Township:
6
Township:
24-26,
Township:
1
14 3H
144H
36
143H
Coal Corporation
tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 1.270.259 tpy
Honthly Average for 1974: 105,854 tons per month
5. Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 1.040.000 ) to
Stantgn. HP Steac Electric
City, State Use
(United Power Aoooc)
6. Description of long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above):
(A) Unit Train (e.g.. unit train), Ownership: Burlington
northern , I Cars 40 per train 30-oilc, 1 per day
Approximate rate of car loading 10 min. per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for loading 250 tons.
7. Stratigraphic Data:
(A) Average Overburden Thickness 45 feet; range 20 to 65 feet
(B) Name of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (youngest to oldest)
(Clay,- Sanddtone)
Boulah-Zap 10
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams Spaer Bed
_
_ , _ , _ thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams, (bolov mined bed, ^3' thick)
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average 45 _ , Maximum: .65
Minimum: 20 _
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: 20 3C (
-------
115
8. Hador Operating Equipment:
Draglines: B-E BOOW
28
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End:
Loaders
Hater
Trucks:
model
B-E 150B
model
2
number
4
number
2
number
i
number
2
number
2
number
l
number
l
number
1
number
•
number
capacity boom length power rqmts
10 (cuyd), 43 (ft). 350/875 (hoi
capacity cvsx.
KH Dnrt D4651
model/power
Hack-Dart
model/power
Cat #637
model /power
Cat 012 Grader
reodel/ power
Cat S24B Dozer
model /power
Let -Hoot 777 Grader
model /power
Cat D9B Dozer
model/power
Tiri.n-Arn Pamnnco Coal Drill
model /power
raodel /power
model/power
radius power
120
capacity
60
capacity
24
capacity
capacity
»
capacity
capacity
•
capacity
*
capacity
6
capacity
i
capacity
rqmts
(tons)
(tons)
(cuyd)
{cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
{cuyd)
(cuyd)
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973: &3
2 shifts, 5 days dragline
50 in July, 1974 i shift, load
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973}
In local area:
, In Headquarters:
I of year worked
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973:
Type of Work:
(0) Places of Residence of FuTI-Time Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Hazon, Horth Dakota
Town
Number
"Town"
Bcnlah, North Dakota
23
'Nunber
Town
Hot in named town:
Zap. Horth Dakota
23
Number
10. Goal Ownership: As of Ouly 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal:
X, State: 32
X, Private:
20.
-------
11.6
11. Goal Lease and "Perrait" Numbers: (as of July 1974')
Federal Lease: 0020273 (-Bisgarcfc) statc p.em1t. Ho. 25 (P.s.C. g)
(1f any,)
1-2. Disposition of Surface in July 1974:
(•A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoi-ls: 250 acres
(including areas leveled for (Including inventory areas)
dragline or shovel')
(B) Spoils Rograded or Being Rcgradod: 675 acres
{£) Rcvegetated (Seeded and for Growing1): 575 acres
(0) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater: 60.0 acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: 5jQ acres
13. Average Analyses of Goal:
Name of Goal Scam Beulah-Zap , Moisture 3.0-35S. Ash (wet) 6-7
Sulfur (wet) _2-7 . X. Btu (wet) 6aoo-720pper Ib.
. Other Itecis of Interest such as previous (-historical) methods of mining
Including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, amount of water
removed frora work-ings, water quali-ty data.
Reserves oatinatcd 200,000,000 cona.
Blaating Coal AK-FO and 601 dynaelte, 10' spacing.
Pit Width: iOO' to i'20'
Minor water inflow to pit requiring periodic puaplng.
-------
PLATE 28
INDIAN HEAD MINE
North American Coal Company
Mercer County, North Dakota
23Jul74 1322-1414 hrs
-------
118
Section 5-18
Underwood Mine - Plate 29
This mine, in the past a relatively small operation and closed
in 1973, is represented in true color, low altitude photography
collected on 27 July 1974. Extensive reclamation is not apparent,
but vegetative growth has migrated into the disturbed lands, especially
where the spoil piles are somewhat leveled. The area shows signs of
a relatively shallow ground water table and water is standing in
the open pit areas.
A new mine is now planned for this Underwood area and is to be
called Falkirk. This new activity is not represented in aerial photo-
graphy in this report, but extends east from the existing mine.
No data are available for the previous operation.
-------
PLATE 29
UNDERWOOD MINE
Underwood Coal Company
McClain County, North Dakota
27Jul74 1230-1232 hrs
0.5
MILES
-------
120
Section 5-19
Vjei!l\a.Mji:Dje - Plate 30
This mine has been a relatively extensive one as is shown by the
'low altitude photography presented as a mosaic in Plate 30. The imagery
was collected on 22 July 1974. The northeastern area of the mined land
s:hows vegetative growth on the north and east sides of spoil ridges.
lihe southern portion of the mined area shows the effect of leveling the
top of larger spoil ridges. There, vegetation occurs in a relatively
•even pattern over much of the area. Along the extreme western area of
the disturbed Lands, the vegetation shown in the imagery appears to
simulate the vegetation and biological ecosystem south of the mined
area.
Mlining is progressing southwestward in the center of the mine. A
inumber of impoundments are visible. Again, this is in a region of
gi1.acia>tion.
-------
121
DESCRIPTION OF MINE
1 - Mine:
2. Location: State: _North Pnkotn County: Ward fHeHnnr-vJ Township; 152M
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: siw Sec: ^Sj36r 2&f 34
County: Hard. fHeHcnr.vV Township: isitf
Range: am Sec: it 2
3. Mine Operators: Consolidation Coal Coapony
4. Production Rates: For Year 1974: 428.163 tons per year
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 548.000 tpy
Monthly Average for 1974: tons per month
5, Destination of Goal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( 7.0.000 ) to
East Grand Forka, Minnesota SuRar Beet Plant
eity, State ^ITse
(B) Estimated tons per year ( 24.000 ) to
Voltaire, North Dakota Private Ho=oo
City, State Use
(E) Estimated tons per year ( 330.000 ) to
Yoleaitc. Notch Dakota Steaa Electric
01 ty, State TTse
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (reference 5 above): Savcn Ml-le Rol-1 Spur
t'A-) Ral-1 Road Cam Cc.g.. unit train), Ownership: Soo Line
, I Cars 20 per train
(B) Rail Hand Goto (e-9-. unit train). Ownership: Consolidation
Cool .Coopany. , I Gars per train
(G) Rail Rond Cnrs (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Baaln Electric
Eovor Coapany. t Gars 16 per train
Approximate rate of car loading 10 n1n. per car (100 ton)
Storage Capacity for Loading 2.000 tons
7. Strat1graph1c Data:
(A-) Average Overburden Thickness 68 feet; range 60 to 80 feet
(B-) Name of CoaO Seams Mined and Average Thickness 1n feet: (youngest to oldest)
.Gotcau ... 12
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Seams (-feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams ^___^___
. . . ._,, thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams.
(Dj Depth of Active Pit: (.feet) Average . Maximum: .
Minimum:
{£') Bulk-Ing Factor for Spoils: 20 X (measured; estimated)
-------
122
8. Major Operating Equipment:
urag nnes:
Shovels:
Trucks:
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End:
Loaders
Water
Trucks :
Employment
(A) Number
/40U-M
model
P$ll 1400
model
s ,
number
>
number
2 .
number
»
number
1 ,
number
1
number
1 .
number
of full -tine
12 (cuvd). 178
capacity BoorT
6 (cuyd),
capacity boom
ftS-20
nodel /power
model /power
0-8 Cat
model /power
model /power
988
nodel /power
CM del /power
Euclid
model /power
employees at the site: Average
(ft).
length power
(ft),
length power
40
capacity
capacity
capacity
capacity
6
capacity
»
capacity
2500
capacity
for 1973: 33
(kw)
rqnts
(kw)
rqmts
(tons)
( cuyd )
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(cuyd)
(gal)
33
in July, 1974 one shift
(B) Number of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who arc
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area:
None
None
, In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: None . X of year worked
Type of Work:
(0) Places of Residence of Full-Time Employees (and approximate number
residing there):
Velva
Town
Sawyer
Dumber
4
Town
Minot
Nutr.ber
5
Town
Hot in nailed town
Number
8
Number
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal:
X, State:
X, Private:
100
11. Coal Lease and "Permit" Numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: , State Permit: 119 f80 ?cresj
(if any) (Expires 1/1/76)
State Permit: 127 (124 nc
[Expires
S/77)
-------
•123
. Disposition of Surface in July 1974:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils:
(Including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(B) Spoils Regraded or Being Regraded:
319
acres
(G) Revegetated (Seeded and for Growing): 10
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Hater:
acres
acres
acres
(E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes:
1,3. Average Analyses of Goal:
Mace of Coa-1 Sean , Moisture
acres
Sulfur (wet)
_X, Ash (wet)
$, 8tu (wet) per Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous ('historical) methods of raining
including underground, water-bearing strata encountered, airount of water
removed from workings, water quality data.
Kighvall Instability hay moulted in olid en.
No Wanting.
Pit width 100 - 110'.
-------
PLATE 3O
VELVAMINE
Consolidation Coal Company
Ward County, North Dakota
22Jul74 1455-1457 hrs
-------
Section 5-20
Noonan Mine - Plate 31
125
This mine, which has extended over a very large area, is repre-
sented on Plate 31. This true color photography was collected at low
altitude on 22 July 1974. The area shows numerous areas of standing
water and the imagery suggests a shallow water table. This is a region
of thick glacial deposits.
Coal loading facilities are located at the north-central edge of
the mined area. Other dark gray areas bordering the mined areas show
where coal has been piled. New mining activities appear at the end
of the road extending southeast from the central coal loading facilities,
The total area represented in the mosaic extends a little over eighteen
kilometers or eleven miles.
-------
126
DESCRIPTION OF MINE
1 . Mine: Noonan Mine (Larson)
2. Location: State: North Dakota County: Burke Township: 162H ,
(all acreage on which present
corporate owners have conducted
or are conducting operations) Range: 9W Sec: 3,A,S,8t9..J.O.ii.i4.iS.i6
3, Mine Operators: Baukol-Kotmon. Inc.
4. Production Rates: For Year 1973; 482.299 tons per year
v
Estimated or Projected for Year 1974: 400.000 toy
Monthly Average for 1974: 40.192 tons per eonth
5. Destination of Coal: (A) Estimated tons per year ( ) to
Larson. ND
City, State TJse
(B1) Estimated tons per year ( 300.000 ) to
Drayton, HP, Moorhcad & Crookaton. MM Process Sugar
City, StateUse
(G) Estimated tons per year ( 20.000 ) to
Grand Forks. ND ECS
City, State TJse
6. Description of Long-Haul Transportation (-reference 5 above):
(•A) Rui-i Rond Cars (e.g., unit train), Ownership: Burlington
Northern & Soo Line ,, I Gars 35 per tra-1n
Approximate rate of car loading -12 min. per car (100 ton)
Storage capacity for loading minlcal tons
7. Stratigraphic Data:
{AO Average Overburden Thickness 40 feet; range 25 to 60 feet
{B'l (fame of Coal Seams Mined and Average Thickness in feet: (youngest to oldest)
Hoonan 6
(C) Average Thickness of Partings Between Scans (feet): (youngest to oldest)
Deeper Seams
, ;, . thickness and approximate separation from
mined seams.
(D) Depth of Active Pit: (feet) Average , Maximum:
Minimum:
(E) Bulking Factor for Spoils: 1 (measured; estimated)
-------
127
8. Kajor Operating Equipment:
Draglines
Shovels:
Trucks r
Scrapers:
Dozers:
Drills:
Front End
Loaders
Water
Trucks:
: B-E 9H
model
Hone
node)
7
number
1 ,
number
2 .
number
i
number
; 1
number
l ,
number
. 11 (cuvd).
capacity
(cuyd).
capacity
Euclid
nodel/power
Cat
model /power
Graders
isodel /power
model /power
Caterpillar 988
iwdel/power
model /power
150 (ft), (kw)
boom length power rqsits
(ft), {kw)
nwx. radius pwr rqmts
20 (tons)
capacity
21 (cuvd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
(cuyd)
capacity
8 {cuyd)
capacity
• {cuyd)
capacity
9. Employment:
(A) Number of full-time employees at the site: Average for 1973: 41
49 in July, 1974 3 shifts - 7 day dragline; 1 ohift - 5 day londli
(8) Humber of other full-time employees employed off-site, but who are
working essentially full-time for this mine: (Average for 1973)
In local area: l
1 , In Headquarters:
(C) Contract Labor: Average for 1973: Konc . X of year worked
Type of Hork:
(D) Places of Residence of Full-Time Employees (and approximate nusaber
residing there):
Hoonnn, HD
IS
Town
Golunbus, HD
Number
10
Town
HD
Number
2
Town
Hot in named town:_
Number
10. Coal Ownership: As of July 1974, currently covered by Mining and Reclamation
Plan and by Permit:
Federal:
, State:
J, Private:
100
11. Goal Lease and "Permit" Numbers: (as of July 1974)
Federal Lease: - State Permit: 24
(210 acres)
, State Permit:
' (if any) atpireo 1/1/77
-------
128
12. Disposition of Surface in July 1974:
(A) Active Pit and "Active" Spoils: & 75 acres
(•including areas leveled for
dragline or shovel)
(B) Spoils Rograded or Being Regraded; ___<»• 145 acres
(C) Rovegetated (Seeded and for Growing): -g 150 acres
(D) "Orphan Spoils" and Open Mater: _jg?AJP_* acres
('E) Support Facilities, Transportation Routes: acres
(F) "Inactive": 360 acres
13. Average Analyses of Coal:
Hame of Goal Seam Hoooaa , Moisture 33-36$, Ash (wet) 6-7 %
Sodium: 3-7 X. Sulfur (wet) .5 t. Btu (wet) 7250 per Ib.
14. Other Items of Interest such as previous (historical) methods of mining
including underground, Hater-bearing strata encountered, amount of water
removed from workings, water quality data.
*A grcac deal of work was done during the years 1963 to 1969 in converting
the nlnod land Into a wildlife habitat. Approximately 35,000 creeo and
shruba wore planted and a program of aorial needing of grnnnon and Icgueca
was carried out during chin period. The results have been good and Che
area aboundn with wildlife of all kinds.
-------
,
I
\
, -
•*
See following page
fortltJft, Pholo-
0r«ph praionud in
two paru with con-
Ur rapontod.
-------
•• r
'i .i&
" *
PLATE 31 NOONAN MINE
Baukol Noonan Inc.
Burke County, North Dskota
22Jul74 1150-1224 hrs
(Two pnijoa Includlno pre-
-------
131
Section 5-21
Highland Urarvium Mill and Mine - Plates 32 and 33
This uranium mine, Located north of Douglas and Glenroek, Wyoming
is represented here in low altitude true color photography collected
on 19 and 24 July 1974. The middle "strip" of the mosaic (includes
the m-iTT and the tailings pond) was flown first and shows natural
drainage channels in a darker brown hue since the remainder of the
imagery was collected after some additional seepage and evapotrans-
piration of the springtime precipitation had taken place.
Vertical aerial imagery makes it somewhat difficult to "see" the
open pit of this uranium mine located along the southern boundary of
the mosaic. Therefore, we have provided an aerial oblique view of
the mine area (Plate 33) and a ground-level view of the mine
for perspective. The aerial oblique was collected on 19 July 1974
while the ground-level view was photographed in early June 1974.
"Statistical information" is not provided for this operation,
Ex-p'loratory drilling is evident along the left (west) side of the
mosaic. A north-south fracture pattern is also shown by striations
in the area east of the mill. The area to the northeast of the mine
pit is an overburden dump and shows vegetative growth. Diversion
dams and ditches are located along the northern border of the tailings
pond area. Seepage is evident downstream of the tailings pond dam.
-------
PLATE 32
HIGHLAND MINE (URANIUM)
Exxon
Converse County, Wyoming
19&29Jul74 1107-1139/1123-1124
-------
Ground Panorama
Horizon of picture is to the southwest.
CO
CO
UJ
Oblique Aerial
Horizon of picture is to the south
I I
Q
<
a g S
5a<3
-------
CHAPTER 6
SATELLITE IMAGERY
During 1974, the EPA's National Field Investigations Center in
Denver studied LANDSAT (or ERTS for Earth Resource Technology
Satellite) imagery to determine its potential for showing the
location, configuration, size, and condition of various "classes"
of land at a surface coal mine site. These "classes" or conditions
of land v/ere defined as follows:
1. Area in which mining was active;
2. Area in which spoils have been deposited, but not yet
regraded;
3. Area of spoils recontoured or graded;
4. Area of regraded spoils seeded, planted, or revegetated;
5. Areas on which vegetation is growing and the condition of
the vegetation.
The results of this study are discussed in more detail in a report
published by the EPA.* The following discussion represents a summary of
the essential findings of the study.
The study utilized computer classification to identify various
coal mine related land use activities in four spectral wave length
bands (green, red, near infrared, and far infrared). The computer-
assisted program was an adaptation of a routine developed by Purdue
University designed to classify agricultural lands. The program operates
by reading the optical intensity of a small area of the imagery, a
function of reflectance of sunlight, and determining, based upon
readings made in areas of known land uses, whether new areas correlate
with "training" areas. The program examines eaeh increment of the
computer tape of the satellite imagery where an increment is determined
by the scanning capacity of the satellite equipment and equals a ground
area of 4,860 square meters for the imagery used. This increment is
characterized by a single optical intensity which is equal to the
average reflectance obtained by the sensor as it scanned that 4,860
square meter area on the ground. The single data point or value is
often termed a "pixel". The larger the size of the pixel, the less
definition or resolution contained in the imagery.
The classification program is "trained" by having it examine pixels
on all four wave length bands collected over an area of known land use
*EPA National Field Investigation Center, "An Application of ERTS Tech-
nology to the Evaluation of Coal Strip Mining and Reclamation in the
Northern Great Plains," Feb., 1975.
134
-------
135
or an area where the optical intensities of the pixels are equal on
any one wave length band (i.e., a "training area"). The program then
examines a different area and statistically determines the confidence
within which each new pixel matches previously-examined "training"
areas. Obviously, the program lends itself to improving classifications
as an analyst compares the statistical confidences with ground truth
data.
The ERTS imagery study attempted land classifications according
to the degree of disturbance, (e.g., active mine, spoil piles, graded,
revegetated, undisturbed). It was found that the program could dis-
tinguish between land uses which had high contrast in terms of re-
flectance such as water and open pits delineated by abrupt topographic
breaks (highwalls and low walls) as compared to natural or regraded
terrain. However, the boundaries of vegetated areas were less accurately
defined. Areas from which vegetation had been leveled or soil had
been removed could not be easily distinguished from spoils or graded
lands.
It is concluded that satellite imagery requires detailed ground
truth data that can also be obtained to a large degree through the use
of lower altitude photography. Thus, it is felt that the satellite
imagery does not have the same potential for use as a planning and
regulatory tool for surface coal mining as does imagery obtained from
altitudes of 2,000 to 20,000 meters.
A representative analysis of the Dave Johnston Mine, located north
of Glenrock, Wyoming, using satellite imagery is provided in Figures 1
through 4. Figure 1 is a map provided by the operating companies
showing the revegetated areas as of 1973. Figure 2 shows the satellite
image of the mine site obtained on 18 August 1973. Figure 3 is the
classification map prepared after use of the 1973 map and low altitude
photography. Figure 4 compares the classifications with the mine.
Table 3 summarizes the land areas affected by the mining activities
at the Dave Johnston Mine in Wyoming as of 1973.
-------
136
TABLE 3
Aerial Distribution of Land Use
Dave Johnston Mine
Area
Land Use Pixels Hectares
Highwall and Spoils and Active Pit 508 247
Northwest Portion of Mine
Spring 1973 Revegetation 26 13 31
Topsoil Borrow 7 38
Spring 1972 Planting 67 33 80
Spring 1971 Planting 17 8 20
Fall 1970 Planting 33 16 40
Fall 1969 Planting 46_ _22_ 55_
196 95 234
Southeast Portion of the Mine
Spring 1972 Planting 30 15 36
Fall 1972 Planting 36 18 43
Fall 1972 Planting and Topsoil
Borrow in Southwesternmost
Corner 368 179 442
434 212 521
Total Mine Area 1,138 554 1,365
As shown in Figure 1 about 55 percent of the disturbed areas of
the mine has been replanted. The computer classification defined the
disturbed areas but difficulty was encountered in separating older re-
vegetated areas from undisturbed native vegetation. This separation
was achieved using Figure 1. Difficulty was also encountered in
defining the highwall location in the northwestern area of the mine
during the initial classification. The highwall was then defined by
preparing a ratio image of the green band to the infrared 1 band.
The composite map (Figure 3)* of the classifications of various mine
areas was prepared using both the ratio image and the multi-spectral
classification.
*Some scale distortion is inherent in producing an overlay map (on
the computer line printer) which can be avoided only by additional pro-
cessing. In scaling overlay maps to USGS topographic maps, the longi-
tudinal axis of the former must be reduced to 80% of its normal value.
-------
FIGURE 1, REVEGETATIOIM 0F DAVE JOHNSTON MINE
(After a composite map prepared by Pacific Power and
Light Company ca. 1973-4)
-------
MINE
1389-17181-L-S RED 16AUG73 E-12
(N.G.P.)
CN43-11/W105-43 S N43-08/W105-31 HDG 191
SUN ELS2 AZ133 5424
APPLIED SKEW - 2,81 DEGREES. ASPECT -
1.393861
"STRIP MINE NO. 4 *•
INSERT
ASTRTCH2
STRETCH 65-132
JDA AUG 19, 1974 124052 JPL/IPL
FIGURE 2. SATELLITE IMAGE OF DAVE JOHNSTON MINE
-------
139
FIGURE 3. CLASSIFICATION MAP OF DAVE JOHNSTON MINE
GLENROCK, WYOMING
PACIFIC POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
-------
O
c
71
m
o
o
3
TJ
>
3D
(/>
O
Z
O
-n
D
>
<
m
t_
O
X
o
-n
a
>
o
z
5
>
\
Atriol Photo Mop of Mint 4 (1974)
Sa'ellrl* Mop ol Mina 4 M973|
\
1.0 I.I
LEGEND
A.— ACTIVt MIN(
».— ItVtOETAriD 1FOIII
C.- IQPtOIL IOIIOW
D.- EIPO1EO »Oil
I.- iOADI
-------
141
In the northwestern corner of the mine, land revegetated in
Spring 1973 was discernible from grass in an adjacent area planted
one year earlier. A topsoil borrow area on the west side was also
identified. Proceeding to the southeast, revegetated areas planted
in 1969, 1970, and 1971 as designated on the map produced spectral
signatures the same as undisturbed native vegetation thus indicating
that a comparable density of vegetation had been achieved.
The southeastern portion of the mine contains much revegetated
land and many topsoil borrow areas. In the borrow areas, a scraper
has removed strips of topsoil leaving native vegetation in alternate
strips. Some natural revegetation has taken place in the disturbed
strips. The revegetated land and the borrow areas were spectrally
indistinguishable from one another as both consist of areas of vege-
tation mingled with bare soil.
The land north of the highwall in the southeastern part of the
mine had a signature characteristic of revegetation or topsoil borrow.
No activity in this area was indicated in Figure 1. Lower altitude
aerial photography verified that this was a topsoil borrow area.
By counting pixels, the computer keeps track of the area in each
classification. The area of each classification for the Dave Johnston
Mine is presented in Table 3. Of the 554 hectares (1,365 acres) of
disturbed area, about 55 percent has been revegetated, a figure which
agrees with the information given on Figure 1.
This technique has been applied to eastern areas on which surface
el ay mining has been practiced and vegetation has encroached back into
the disturbed areas.*
*Garofalo, Donald and Frank J. Wobber, 1973, "Remote Sensing For Envir-
onmental Studies in Mined Areas", pp 32-48, in Photographic Applications
in Science. Technology, and Medicine. Sept. 1973.
-------
CHAPTER 7
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are indebted to Mr. Gary Glass, Staff Coal Geologist of the
Wyoming Geological Survey for his assistance, guidance and interest in
preparing this report. We are similarly indebted to Dr. A. William
Johnson of North Dakota's Regional Environmental Assessment Program
(REAP) and to Mr. John Smith of the North Dakota Lignite Council,
for their efforts in tracking pertinent data for North Dakota operations.
We wish to thank Mr. Doss White, Bureau of Mines, Department of Interior,
for his invaluable assistance and Mr. C. C. McCall, Director of
Reclamation, Montana Department of Lands, for his staff's reviews.
We are also pleased to have this opportunity to publicly acknow-
ledge the assistance afforded us over the past four years by coal mine
operators who have graciously allowed us to view the details of their
mining operations and have been most responsive in answering our
questions.
Messrs. Ed Arthur and Al Pressman of EPA's Remote Sensing Laboratory
in Las Vegas, Nevada, are to be commended for their assistance in
acquiring and processing all of the photography and for their advice
in preparing the report.
The report is published with the support of Region VIII and the
Office of Energy, Minerals and Industry, Office of Research and Develop-
ment, of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Mr. Edward Mangold and Mr. Arthur Dybdahl of the EPA organized and
conducted the evaluation of mined lands using satellite imagery and
thus provided the information used to prepare Chapter 5.
The author retains responsibility for any errors contained in
this report and apologizes, in advance, for them.
142
-------
APPENDIX I
MINERAL RESOURCE TERMINOLOGY ADOPTED BY INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
DEFINITIONS:
Resource - A concentration of naturally occurring solid, liquid, or
gaseous materials in or on the earth's crust in such form that
economic extraction of a commodity is currently or potentially
feasible.
Identified Resources - Specific bodies of mineral-bearing material
whose location, quality, and quantity are known from geologic
evidence supported by engineering measurements with respect to
the demonstrated category.
TOTAL RESOURCES
IDENTIFIED
Eeonomie
Paramar-
a-i.nal
Submar-
. qinal
Demonstrated
Measured
Indicated
Inferred
RESERVES
4- +
RESOURCES
HYPOTEHTICAL
(in known
districts)
SPECULATIVE
(in undis-
covered
districts)
f
J of economic feasibi
O)
O)
0>
•r—
_U1
ro
O)
i.
u
c
1— •
Increasing degree of geological assurance
Undiscovered Resources - Unsoecified bodies of mineral-bearing material
surmised to exist on the basis of broad geologic knowledge and
theory.
Reserve - That portion of the identified resource from which a usable
mTneral and energy commodity can be economically and legally
extracted at the time of determination. The term ore is also used
for reserves of some minerals.
143
-------
APPENDIX I
(cont'd)
The following definitions for measured, indicated, and inferred are
applicable to both the Reserve and Identified-Subeconomic resource
components (see chart).
Measured - Material for which estimates of the quality and quantity
have been computed, within a margin of error of less than 20
percent, from analyses and measurements from closely spaced and
geologically well-known sample sites.
Indicated - Material for*.which estimates of the quality and quantity have
been computed partly from sample analyses and measurements and
partly from reasonable geologic projections.
Demonstrated - A collective term for the sum of materials in both measured
and indicated resources.
Inferred - Material in unexplored but identified deposits for which
estimates of the quality and size are based on geologic evidence
and projection.
Identified-Subeconomic Resources - Known deposits not now minable econ-
omically.
Paramarginal - The portion of subeconomic resources that (a) borders on
being economically producible or (b) is not commercially available
solely because of legal or political circumstances.
Submarginal - The portion of subeconomic resources which would require
a substantially higher price (more than 1.5 times the price at the
time of determination) or a major cost-reducing advance in technology.
Hypothetical Resources - Undiscovered materials that may reasonably be
expected to exist in a known mining district under known geologic
conditions. Exploration that confirms their existence and reveals
quantity and quality will permit their reclassification as a Reserve
or identified-subeconomic resource.
Speculative Resources - Undiscovered materials that may occur either in
known types of deposits in a favorable geologic setting where no
discoveries have been made, or in as yet unknown types of deposits
that remain to be recognized. Exploration that confirms their
existence and reveals quantity and quality will permit their re-
classification as reserves of identified-subeconomie resources.
144
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(I'lcase read /nuntciions on the reverse before completing)
REPORT NO
OEA 76-1
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION-NO.
ITLE AND SUBTITLE
Surface Coal Mining In the Northern Great Plains
of the Western United States
5. REPORT DATE
June 1976
6, PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHORIS)
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
John E. Hardaway
OEA 76-1
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
EPA, Office of Energy Activities
1860 Lincoln Street, Suite 103
Denver, Colorado 80203
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
None
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADORESS
EPA, Office of Energy Activities
1860 Lincoln Street, Suite 103
Denver, Colorado 80203
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Information* 1973-5
14. SP'ONSbmNG'AGENCY CODE
EPA - Region VIII
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
16. ABSTRACT
This report deals with the information portrayal of twenty-one surface
coal mines and one surface uranium mine within the Northern Great Plains
Coal Province of Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. The aid of color aerial
photography enables not only the diagrammatic layout of the mine to be
presented, but also provides for the analysis, discussion, and conveyence
of other interesting data. These other data include pertinent geologic,
hydraulic, engineering, and operational information.
With the aid of a brief description of surface coal mining operational
procedures, the uses of aerial photography, both color and infrared, are
introduced to the readers as a tool for the environmentally oriented
regulation and planning of surface coal mining facilities. Environmental-
ly oriented regulation deals not only with the present physical disturbance
of a natural area, but also with its sound management and eventual reclamation
for further beneficial uses.
See attached sheet for continuation.—
7.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.lDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
COSATI Field/Group
Coal
Geologic Strata
Remote Sensing
Surface Ecosystem
Revegetation
Surface Mining
Exploration
Spoil
Reclamation
Photography
Serial Imagery
Satellite Imagery
;olor Infrared
tanking Categories
3TU
ERTS
Land sat
8. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Release to Public
19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport)
Unclassified
1. NO. OF
151
'AGES
20. SECURITY CLASS (This page)
Unclassified
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
145
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16 con't
The close of this report includes a brief synopsis and example of related
efforts involving the utilization of satellite imagery. A basis for the
future planning, reoulation and environmental assessment of surface
mineral mininq in the interior v/estern states has been proposed within and
by this report.
146
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