Mining will be performed on the Black Creek coal seam.

Best Coal, Inc. proposes to have the option to use an Auger or Highwall Miner to extract coal once surface mining has completed in accordance with the approved Operation Plan.

Once the preparation work has been completed and the highwall has been faced up, the auger/highwall miner will be used to remove the remaining coal. The maximum depth into the wall that the auger/highwall miner is capable is dependent on the hardness of the material, the consistency of the coal bed (Flat or rolling) and other site conditions. The projected maximum depth is 350 feet if an auger miner is used, and 1,000 feet if a highwall miner is used. The diameter of the extraction height of the auger miner will be twenty-two (22”) inches. The diameter of the extraction height of the highwall miner will be thirty (30”) inches.

Auger/Highwall Mining will be performed on the Black Creek Seam in Increment No. 7. The Black Creek Seam will be auger/highwall mined and then sealed and backfilled. Once all auger/highwall mining is completed the highwall will be eliminated by drilling and shooting the remainder of the highwall and grading as approved in the reclamation plan.

AUGER MINING OPTION
The auger miner to be used will be a Salem MCK Triple Head Auger with a cutting head width of 5.6 feet and an extraction height of 1.83 feet.

Auger mining will be conducted along the end wall and final highwall. The maximum depth into the wall that the miner is capable is dependent on the hardness of the material, the consistency of the coal bed (Flat or rolling) and other site conditions. The auger miner that is proposed to be used has enough sections to mine into the wall a maximum of 350 feet. The auger miner is capable of cutting a hole 5.6’ wide and 1.83’ high. A web pillar will remain between each opening. Barrier pillars will be left at the ends of a series of auger miner holes.

Auger Mining will be performed in such a manner as to provide adequate support pillars between each hole. Spacing of the recovery holes will vary depending on the nature of the overburden, depth of the overburden and coal seam thickness. Auger Mining will be performed on the Black Creek coal seam.

Auger miner holes shall be sealed with an impervious, non-combustible material, as contemporaneously as practicable with the auger miner operation, as approved by the Regulatory Authority, if the holes are not discharging water containing acid or toxic-forming material.

HIGHWALL MINING OPTION
The highwall miner to be used will be a CAT HW300 with a cutting head width of 9.5 feet and an extraction height of 2.5 feet.

Highwall mining will be conducted along the end wall and final highwall. The maximum depth into the wall that the miner is capable is dependent on the hardness of the material, the consistency of the coal bed (Flat or rolling) and other site conditions. The highwall miner that is proposed to be used has enough sections to mine into the wall a maximum of 1,000 feet. The auger miner is capable of cutting a hole 9.5’ wide and 2.5’ high. A web pillar will remain between each opening. Barrier pillars will be left at the ends of a series of auger miner holes.

Highwall Mining will be performed in such a manner as to provide adequate support pillars between each hole. Spacing of the recovery holes will vary depending on the nature of the overburden, depth of the overburden and coal seam thickness. Highwall Mining will be performed on the Black Creek coal seam.

Highwall miner holes shall be sealed with an impervious, non-combustible material, as contemporaneously as practicable with the highwall miner operation, as approved by the Regulatory Authority, if the holes are not discharging water containing acid or toxic-forming material.