This is a typical view of an active area mining and reclamation operation under the Surface Mining Law. If you compare this view with (page 2) the first stages of this operation you will see how the mining and reclamation has progressed (from the left to the right) across the site. Click on the red numbers for a description of what is happening, or here for an 8 1/2" x 11" higher resolution copy of the illustration that you can print on a laser printer and color.
Key
Area Mining: Mining and reclamation
under the Surface Mining Law
1. Scrapers remove topsoil and redistribute it on the area being reclaimed. Topsoil is stockpiled only when it is impractical to remove and redistribute it in one continuous operation.
2. The topsoil removed from area 1 is being spread on the reclaimed land.
3. Scrapers are removing subsoil.
4. Subsoil removed from area 3 is being spread on the reclaimed land.
5. A drill rig bores blast holes in preparation for blasting the overburden. All blasting must be done between sunrise and sunset and a blasting schedule must be published in the local newspaper.
6. The dragline digs and casts overburden onto the previously mined area.
7. A shovel digs coal which is removed by road trucks.
8. The trucks carrying coal out of the mine are weighed and cleaned prior to entering the public highway.
9. Bulldozers carry out rough grading of the overburden. This grading follows the general shape and slope of the topography that existed before mining.
10. A crawler sacrifies the area prior to the replacement of the topsoil to reduce compaction of regraded spoil. On sloping sites, this operation would be parallel to the contour.
11. Lime and fertilizer are spread on the reclaimed land.
12. Cultivation and seeding is being completed. This operation is carefully timed and the seed mix chosen to ensure good growth under local conditons. The area will be mulched following the seeding operation.
13. A temporary ramp across the working pit reduces the haul for scrapers involved in the stripping and regrading operation. It will be mined through and then replaced by the dragline.
14. Grass in the waterways is being mown. When this machine finishes mowing here it will mow the embankments of the sedimentation ponds. This will ensure the erosion resistance of the grass vegetation.
15. This sedimentation pond is being cleaned out because accumulation of sediment reduced its effectiveness. Before cleaning the sediment occupied approximately 60% of the pond volume.
