SURFACE MINING AND RECLAMATION

OPERATIONS FOR FORT UNION COAL

in U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625-A

Chapter MO

By K.I. Takahashi, T.J. Rohrbacher, and R.M. Flores
MO-ii

Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................... MO-1

Methodology..................................................................................................... MO-2

Surface Mining.................................................................................................. MO-3

Overburden and Coal Removal......................................................................... MO-4

Equipment ..................................................................................................... MO-6

Reclamation ................................................................................................... MO-20

References ................................................................................................... MO-24

Instructions ................................................................................................... MO-85

Figures

MO-1. Distribution of Fort Union coal-bearing rocks and strippable coal in

the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains.

MO-2. Coal removal from a dragline-stripped pit. Note the overburden

spoils on the left, coal production “face” in the center, coal “fender”

on the lower right and the highwall to the right.

MO-3. Multiple faults in the highwall of a multiple seam, dragline stripping

operation.

MO-4. A dragline stripping operation. Note the clear distinction between the

overburden and the coal bed.

MO-5. Dragline-stripped pit showing the relative overburden to coal

thickness ratio. It is less than 2:1 with an estimated coal-bed

thickness of more than 24 ft (if the people are 6’ tall).
MO-iii

MO-6. Highwall showing the Deadman coal bed in a dragline stripped pit.

Note the fossilized tree trunk and root system in the thin coal bed in

the overburden.

MO-7. View of a multiple-bench, truck-shovel stripping operation in a large

coal bed.

MO-8. Truck-shovel stripping operations load and move overburden from

the highwall side of the pit to low-wall dumps (foreground). The coal

bed is removed and hauled to a primary crushing facility, thereby

making more room for additional low wall spoil dumps.

MO-9. Topsoil, overburden, and coal extraction operations.

MO-10. A medium-size Bucyrus-Erie dragline, nick-named “Prairie Queen”

is stripping coal.

MO-11. This Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline has a 72-cubic-yard bucket capacity

and a 320 ft boom.

MO-12. A Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline.

MO-13. A Marion 8000-series dragline.

MO-14. Digging and dumping operations of the dragline bucket are controlled

by the hoist cables and the drag cables (Note that this bucket is in a

dumping position.).

MO-15. The Bucyrus-Erie 1570 is a larger size dragline. Each machine is

designed for specific operating conditions. As the boom is

lengthened, the cable drums inside the “house” must be increased in

size to provide storage of the additional cable. Likewise, the bucket

may be downsized to allow for additional boom length.
MO-iv

MO-16. This Page dragline may be a Page 752 prototype. The Page 752

carries a 50-60-cubic-yard bucket.

MO-17. This Marion 8000-series dragline is working from an extended low

wall bench. Much of the overburden at this mine is “cast blasted”

from the highwall side of the pit to the low wall or spoil side.

MO-18. A Bucyrus-Erie 1570. Note the walking shoe used to move the

dragline.

MO-19. This Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline is sitting on the highwall side of the

pit, moving overburden to the low wall or spoil side.

MO-20. A Marion 8000-series dragline uncovering the Deadman coal bed.

MO-21. Standing on the pit access road looking at a thick coal bed and a

Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline on the highwall side of the pit.

MO-22. A Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline filling its bucket with overburden.

MO-23. The operator’s “touch”–note that the bucket is extended past the end

of the boom. This Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline is sitting on the

highwall and “spoiling” or dumping overburden on the low wall side

of the pit.

MO-24. A Page 752 dragline with vans in the foreground for scale.

MO-25. Front-end loader buckets used for loading coal vary in size depending

on the strength of the coal, how well it is fragmented from blasting,

and the production rates needed at the mine. This bucket is in the 15-

20 cubic yard capacity class.

MO-26. The ability to easily move from one location to another makes this Le

Tourneau front-end loader a useful piece of production equipment.
MO-v

MO-27. Large Caterpillar end-dump trucks are used to haul coal from the coal

face to primary crushers at strategic locations above the pit ramps.

MO-28. This Euclid end-dump truck is returning from the spoil dump to the

highwall for another load of overburden.

MO-29. Depending on the size of the loading shovel, this Euclid end-dump

truck can be loaded in 3-5 minutes.

MO-30. Large truck tires are an expensive part of haulage operations. These

10ft diameter tires dwarf this geologist.

MO-31. Large haul trucks can carry from 170 to 240 tons or more.

MO-32. The ready line or spare trucks. Although end-dump trucks have high

mechanical reliability, it is necessary to have enough spare

equipment to maintain production when mechanical failures occur

MO-33. Cab access is in a high visibility location with guard rails and a large

canopy to protect the operator from rock spillage during loading.

MO-34. The versatility of large front-end loaders makes them desirable in

medium to large mines. Here a Le Tourneau front-end loader travels

to new coal face.

MO-35. This Caterpillar 785 end-dump truck is hauling approximately 150

tons of coal to a primary crusher. The tailgate may increase the

truck’s capacity by 7 to 10%.

MO-36. These Unit Rig end-dump trucks can carry as much as 240 tons of

coal. These trucks are being loaded by a P&H shovel.
MO-vi

MO-37. This Euclid end-dump truck is dumping its load of coal into a hopper

that feeds the primary crusher. Crushed coal is conveyed to a

secondary crushing system and then to storage silos to await loading

onto unit trains.

MO-38. Normally, trucks receive preventive maintenance in the field or on

the ready line. This 200 ton, tractor-trailer, belly-dump truck is

receiving maintenance at the main shop area.

MO-39. Kress 300 belly-dump coal truck.

MO-40. Rimpull tractor-trailer, belly-dump truck.

MO-41. This modern train loadout provides batch loading, to fill each car to

capacity, and allows different coals to be blended to meet exact

quality specifications.

MO-42. A single loadout operator with a computer system handles the coal

loading and on-line sampling as the train moves forward at a speed of

from 0.25 to 0.5 mile per hour. Trains must be loaded within 4 hours

of arrival.

MO-43. A trough train of normal length (one mile long) may carry as much as

50% more than a regular train with 100 cars, each carrying 100 tons.

MO-44. Coal is delivered to this power plant via a long overland conveyor.

MO-45. An example of a “mine mouth” power plant.

MO-46. Regraded low wall spoils. The vegetation has not been re-established

to pre-mining conditions yet. Note the rocks placed to form dens for

small animals.

MO-47. Regraded and revegetated low wall spoils.
MO-vii

MO-48. Revegetated land is shown in the foreground with natural,

undisturbed land in the background.

MO-49. Reclaimed lands.

MO-50. Topsoil replacement using Caterpillar scrapers.

MO-51. Reclamation in different stages: land in the foreground has been

regraded and the topsoil (root medium material) has been replaced.

Land in the background has been regraded and revegetated.

MO-52. Early stages of reclamation: regraded land; regraded land with topsoil

replaced; Regraded land with topsoil replaced and revegetated.

MO-53. Low wall, out of pit regrading and revegetation adjacent to a major

haul road.

MO-54. Regraded and reseeded area.

MO-55. Reclaimed land in foreground and unreclaimed low wall spoils in

background.

MO-56. Hanna Basin reclamation.

MO-57. Reclaimed lands and undisturbed native grassland in the Hanna

Basin.

MO-58. It is difficult to distinguish between reclaimed lands and undisturbed

land on this Hanna Basin access road.

MO-59. Reclaimed land on both sides of an access road in Hanna Basin.

MO-60. Reclaimed land in the Gillette coalfield.

MO-61. The dark green area in the foreground is reclaimed land in the

Williston Basin. The coal truck is on a haul road surrounded by

unmined land.
Surface Mining and 

Reclamation Operations 

for Fort Union Coal 

Surface Mining and 

Reclamation Operations 

for Fort Union Coal 
Figure MO-1. Distribution of Fort Union coal-bearing rocks and 

strippable Coal in the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains.

Montana

North 

Dakota

South 

Dakota

Colorado

New Mexico

Greater Green River Basin

Williston Basin

Powder River Basin

Bull Mountain Basin

Big Horn Basin

Carbon Basin

Nebraska

Wyoming

0 200 Mi

Fort Union Fm

Coal mine and/or 

Lease areas

Strippable Fort Union Coal in 

the Powder River, Williston, 

Hanna, and Greater Green 

River Basins

Wind River Basin

Hanna Basin

INTRODUCTION

About one-third of the coal produced 

in the United States comes from the 

northern Rocky Mountains and Great 

Plains region (fig. MO-1) and 

because of the geological setting and 

the quality of this resource the share 

is likely to increase. The purpose of 

this chapter is to provide an overview 

of the pit mining process used in 

much of this area through the use of 

photos and videos. In this way we 

hope to provide the lay person with 

an elementary understanding of some 

the terms used throughout this report 

and a general appreciation of the 

techniques and equipment used to 

extract coal resources. 
METHODOLOGY

The photographs were taken with a Nikon FM 35mm camera, with a Nikkor 28-

70mm, f/3.5, zoom lens and an MD-12 motordrive; a Vivitar Series 1, 440PZ 

35mm automatic camera with a 28-70mm f/4.5 zoom lens was also used. The 

photographs were then scanned on a Microtek ScanMaker E3 flat-bed scanner and a 

Polaroid SprintScan 35 slide scanner. Videos were taken with a Sony CCD-TR81 

Hi8 camcorder and then converted to QuickTime movies, edited, and compressed on 

a Power Macintosh 8500 computer upgraded with a 300 MHz G3 processor. 

The following software applications were used: Adobe Acrobat 4, Adobe Illustrator 

8, Adobe Photoshop 5, Apple QuickTime 4, Apple Video Player 1.7.2, Avid 

VideoShop 3.0.2, and Microsoft Word 98.

The photos and videos used to illustrate the equipment and techniques used in pit 

mines in this area were taken at the following mines:

In Montana, the Big Sky mines, Decker mine, and Rosebud mine.

In North Dakota, the Beulah mine (Knife River), Falkirk mine, Freedom (Coteau) 

mines, and Spring Creek mines.

In Wyoming, the Belle Ayr mine, Black Butte mine, Bridger mine, Buckskin mine, 

Cordero Rojo mine, Cyprus-Shoshone mine, Glenrock mine, Medicine Bow mine, 

and the Dave Johnston mine. -2
SURFACE MINING

Surface mining operations create an open pit by 

first removing the topsoil and overburden; this is 

followed by removal of the coal. Mining usually 

begins at the coal bed outcrop and proceeds downdip. The deep side of the pit is called the highwall 

(movie 1); it provides a cross section through 

the layers of overburden and coal (figs. MO-2 

through MO-6). After the original pit is made, 

subsequent overburden is backfilled into the minedout area and regraded to the original slope of the 

surface. The topsoil is replaced, and the land 

reclaimed to its original topography and vegetation. 

Figure MO-2 Figure MO-3 Figure MO-4

Figure MO-5 Figure MO-6

Movie 1
Surface mining can be the least expensive 

and most productive method of extracting 

coal and recovers more of the coal resource 

(as much as 96%) than underground mining.

OVERBURDEN AND COAL

Extensive aerial and ground assessment, 

drilling, and subsequent geologic and 

economic analyses characterize the coal and 

overburden and delineate the areas to be 

mined. The topsoil and layers of rock over 

the coal are called overburden (figs. MO-7 

through MO-9). In the Powder River Basin 

overburden thickness can be more than 200 ft

and still be economically feasible (movies 2-4). 

Top soil is removed with large scrapers and 

stockpiled so that it can be reused during 

reclamation. To uncover the coal for mining, 

the overburden is drilled and blasted to break 

it up for easier removal. 

Movie 2

Figure MO-7 Figure MO-8

Figure MO-9

REMOVAL
inch diameter holes drilled on 10-20-ft. 

centers. Two different stripping methods are 

used to remove the overburden above the coal: 

dragline and truck/shovel. Large draglines are 

used to remove the overburden and deposit it in 

rows of spoil piles, usually in previously mined 

areas (movie 5). 

Movie 3

Movie 4 Movie 5
EQUIPMENT

Draglines can range in size from buckets of 

less than 13 to more than 200 cubic yards and 

booms from less than 100 to more than 400 

ft. (movie 6). A Bucyrus-Erie 2570 and 

similar draglines can have a 124 cubic yard 

bucket and a 340 foot boom (figs. MO-10 

through MO-14). 

ure MO-10

ure MO-11

Figure MO-12

Figure MO-13 Figure MO-14

Movie 6
These draglines can be as tall as a 17 story 

building from the base to the tip of the boom 

(movie 7). They "walk" from one work site to 

the next on 14 by 72 foot "shoes," taking 8.5 

foot "steps" at 0.1 mph, and they are powered 

by electric motors that produce 12,000 

horsepower from a 23,000 volt power supply 

(figs. MO-15 through MO-20). 

re MO-15 Figure MO-17

e MO-16 Figure MO-18

Figure MO-19 Figure MO-20

Movie 7
One large dragline can consume as much

electrical power as a town of several 

thousand people (movie 8). The base of one 

of these draglines can be as big as the infield 

of a baseball diamond (figs. MO-21 

through MO-24). 

re MO-21

Figure MO-23

Figure MO-24

Figure MO-22

Movie 8
Electric and hydraulic shovels (movies 9

11)

and end-loaders, used for removing 

overburden material and loading coal, have 

bucket capacities ranging from 12 to 54 cubic 

yards. Electric shovels, such as the P&H 2800 

XPA, have capacities of 45 cubic yards or 

more, weigh 70 tons, and develop 2,760 

horsepower. 

Movie 9

Movie 10

Movie 11
Front-end loaders (movies 12-13), such as the 

Caterpillar 994 diesel, have a 23 cubic yard 

bucket and have 1,336 horsepower (figs. MO-25 

and MO-26).

Movie 12 Movie 13

Figure MO-25 Figure MO-26
The large loading equipment is matched by 

large end-dump trucks (movies 14-16) 

such as the Caterpillar 789, which can carry 

200 tons or 143 cubic yards, weighs 290,000 

lbs empty, and is powered by an 1,800 

horsepower diesel engine (figs. MO-27

through MO-33).

Movie 14 Movie 15

Movie 16
Figure MO-27 Figure MO-28 Figure MO-29

Figure MO-30 Figure MO-31 Figure MO-32

Figure MO-33
The coal is drilled and blasted (movies 17 

and 18) using explosive mixtures such as 

ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO). It 

is then loaded onto large trucks with frontend loaders or power shovels (figs. MO-34 

and MO-35) for transport to processing 

plants. Figures MO-36 through MO-40 show 

examples of the trucks, and movies 19 

through 25 show the operation of trucks, 

front-end loaders, and shovels.

Movie 17 Movie 18

Figure MO-34

Figure MO-35

Figure MO-36

Figure MO-37
These trucks and truck/trailers (movies 

19-21) have capacities of as much as 300 

tons. The Kress CH300, which can carry 300 

tons of coal, weighs 280,000 lbs empty and is 

powered by an 1,800 horsepower diesel 

engine. It is more than twice the size of a rail 

car. The shovels can have capacities of more 

than 43 cubic-yards. For example the Marion 

191-M is an electrically powered, 1,650- 

horsepower, crawler shovel with a 27 cubic 

yard, 23 ton capacity. 

Movie 19

Movie 20 Movie 21
Movie 22

Movie 24

Movie 23
Figure MO-38 Figure MO-39

Figure MO-40 

Movie 25
The coal is typically transported by rail to a 

local powerplant. Unit coal trains can be a 

mile or more in length usually with 100, or as 

many as 150 cars, each capable of carrying 

100-120 tons (movie 26). Loaders fill the cars 

as the train is moving. A train can be filled in 

about 2 hours or less (figs. MO-41 through 

MO-43 and movies 27 and 28).

Figure MO-43

Figure MO-41

Figure MO-42

Movie 26
Movie 27 Movie 28
Long conveyor belts are often used instead of 

trains to move the coal directly from the mine 

to a "mine-mouth" power plant (fig. MO-44 

and movie 29). These power plants (fig. MO45), constructed in proximity to the mine, are an

alternative to long distance transportation of

coal. The electricity that is generated is carried

over power lines to distant users.

Figure MO-44 Figure MO-45

Movie 29
RECLAMATION

After the coal has been mined, the reclamation process 

can begin. The reclamation process includes backfilling, 

recontouring, replacement of topsoil and subsequent 

mulching and reseeding (figs. MO-46 through MO-49).

Concerted reclamation efforts were begun in response

to the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act of 1973,

the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act of 1977,

and other State and Federal laws and regulations.

Figure MO-46

Figure MO-47

Figure MO-48

Figure MO-49
The original contours of the mined area are restored by refilling the mined 

area with the overburden from the spoil piles and then shaping to restore the 

terrain to its premined contours using scrapers, bulldozers, and draglines 

(figs. MO-50 through MO-52).

Figure MO-50 Figure MO-51 Figure MO-52
The topsoil is replaced and reseeded with pre-mined flora (figs. MO-53 

through MO-55).

Figure MO-53 Figure MO-54 Figure MO-55
As the reclaimed areas mature they are difficult to distinguish from their 

pre-mined state (figs. MO-56 through MO-61).

Figure MO-56 Figure MO-57

Figure MO-60 Figure MO-61

Figure MO-58

Figure MO-59
REFERENCES

Cassidy, S.M., editor, 1973, Elements of practical coal mining: New York, 

Society of Mining Engineers of the American Institute of Mining, 

Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc., 614 p.

Lindbergh, K., and Provorse, B., 1977, Coal, a contemporary energy story: 

New York, Scribe Publishing Corporation and Coal Age-E/MJ Mining 

Informational Services, 207 p.

Martin, J. W., Martin, T. J., Bennett, T. P., and Martin, K. M., 1982, Surface 

mining equipment: Golden, Martin Consultants, Inc. 455 p.

National Coal Association, 1992, Facts about coal: Washington D.C., National 

Coal Association, 100 p.
Figure MO-2. Coal removal from a dragline-stripped pit. Note the overburden spoils on the left,

coal production "face" in the center, coal "fender" on the lower right and the highwall to the right.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Low wall spoil peak

Clean-up tractor

Coal production "face"

Undisturbed land

Coal loading shovel

Highwall overburden

Coal fender
FIGURE 1.-- Photograph by Ken Takahashi

MO-3. Multiple faults in the highwall of a multiple seam, dragline stripping operation. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Fault Fault
MO-4. A dragline stripping operation. Note the clear distinction between the overburden 

oal bed.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Highwall overburden

Coal bed
MO-5. Dragline-stripped pit showing the relative overburden to coal thickness ratio.

than 2:1 with an estimated coal-bed thickness of more than 24 ft (if the people are 6’ tall).

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Dragline stripping pad

Dragline

Coal bed

Floor of the coal bed
MO-6. Highwall showing the Deadman coal bed in a dragline stripped pit. Note the 

d tree trunk and root system in the thin coal bed in the overburden.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Fossil tree trunk

Tree root system
MO-7. View of a multiple-bench, truck-shovel stripping operation in a large coal bed. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

urden 

mp

Overburden dump

Lower coal bench

Shovel and truck loading coal on 

upper coal bench

Shovel and truck stripping on 

the final overburden bench

Topsoil removed

First overburden

 bench

Second overburden bench

Third overburden bench
MO-8. Truck-shovel stripping operations load and move overburden from the highwall 

he pit to low-wall dumps (foreground).The coal bed is removed and hauled to a 

crushing facility, thereby making more room for additional low wall spoil dumps.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Highwall overburden Coal haul trucks traveling to 

the main the main crusher

Low wall spoil dumps

Pit lighting systems
MO-9. Topsoil, overburden, and coal extraction operations. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Shovel and truck loading coal on 

upper coal bench

 lower coal bench

Base of middle coal bench

Shovel and truck stripping on 

the final overburden bench

Access road Shovel and truck stripping 

overburden

First overburden

 bench Second overburden bench

Third overburden bench

Topsoil removed
MO-10. A medium-size Bucyrus-Erie dragline, nick-named "Prairie Queen" is stripping coal. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
O-11. This Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline has a 72 cubic-yard bucket capacity and a 320 ft boom. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
Figure MO-12. A Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
O-13. A Marion 8000-series dragline. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

se

oling fans

Gantry

Boom ropes

Hoist ropes

Point sheaves

Support webbing

Hoist ropes (cables)

Dragline

bucket

Drag ropes

Operator's cab

Shoe
MO-14. Digging and dumping operations of the dragline bucket are controlled by the 

les and the drag cables. (Note that this bucket is in a dumping position)

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Hoisting cable

 cables
MO-15. The Bucyrus-Erie 1570 is a larger size dragline. Each machine is designed for 

operating conditions. As the boom is lengthened, the cable drums inside the "house" must be increased in 

rovide storage of the additional cable. Likewise, the bucket may be downsized to allow for additional boom length.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-16. This Page dragline may be a Page 752 prototype.The Page 752 carries a 50-

-yard bucket.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-17. This Marion 8000-series dragline is working from an extended low wall bench.

 the overburden at this mine is "cast blasted" from the highwall side of the pit to the low wall or spoil side.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
O-18. A Bucyrus-Erie 1570. Note the walking shoe used to move the dragline. Photograph by Ken Takahashi 1999

Swing tub Walking shoe
O-19. This Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline is sitting on the highwall side of the pit, moving 

en to the low wall or spoil side.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi , 1999
MO-20. A Marion 8000-series dragline uncovering the Deadman coal bed. Photograph by Ken Takahashi , 1999
Figure MO-21. Standing on the pit access road looking 

at a thick coal bed and a Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline on the highwall side of the pit. 

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
Figure MO-22. A Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline filling its 

bucket with overburden.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-23. The operator’s "touch"–note that the bucket is extended past the end of the 

his Bucyrus-Erie 1570 dragline is sitting on the highwall and "spoiling" or dumping overburden on the low 

 of the pit.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-24. A Page 752 dragline with vans in the foreground for scale. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
Figure MO-25. Front-end loader buckets used for loading 

coal vary in size depending on the strength of the coal, how well it is fragmented from 

blasting, and the production rates needed at the mine.This bucket is in the 15-20 

cubic yard capacity class.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-26. The ability to easily move from one location to another makes this Le Tourneau 

d loader a useful piece of production equipment.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-27. Large Caterpillar end-dump trucks are used to haul coal from the coal face to 

crushers at strategic locations above the pit ramps.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-28. This Euclid end-dump truck is returning from the spoil dump to the highwall for 

load of overburden.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-29. Depending on the size of the loading shovel, this Euclid end-dump truck can be 

n 3-5 minutes.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-30. Large truck tires are an expensive part of haulage operations.These 10 ft

 tires dwarf this geologist.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-31. Large haul trucks can carry from 170 to 240 tons or more. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-32. The ready line of spare trucks. Although end-dump trucks have high mechanical 

ty, it is necessary to have enough spare equipment to maintain production when mechanical failures occur.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-33. Cab access is in a high visibility location with guard rails and a large canopy to protect 

ator from rock spillage during loading.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-34. The versatility of large front-end loaders makes them desirable in medium to 

nes. Here a Le Tourneau front-end loader travels to new coal face.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-35. This Caterpillar 785 end-dump truck is hauling approximately 150 tons of coal 

mary crusher.The tailgate may increase the truck’s capacity by 7 to 10%.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Tailgate
MO-36. These Unit Rig end-dump trucks can carry as much as 240 tons of coal.These 

e being loaded by a P&H shovel.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-37. This Euclid end-dump truck is dumping its load of coal into a hopper that feeds 

ary crusher. Crushed coal is conveyed to a secondary crushing system and then to 

silos to await loading onto unit trains.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Secondary crushing facility

Primary conveyor belt

Conveyor belt to 

silo storage

Storage silos Storage silos

Primary truck dump, hopper, 

and crusher
MO-38. Normally, trucks receive preventive maintenance in the field or on the ready line.

 ton, tractor-trailer, belly-dump truck is receiving maintenance at the main shop area.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-39. Kress 300 belly-dump coal truck . Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-40. Rimpull tractor-trailer, belly-dump truck. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
Figure MO-41. This modern train loadout provides 

batch loading, to fill each car to capacity, and allows different coals to be blended to 

meet exact quality specifications.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-42. A single loadout operator with a computer system handles the coal loading and 

ampling as the train moves forward at a speed of from 0.25 to 0.5 mile per hour.Trains must be loaded 

 hours of arrival.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-43. A trough train of normal length (one mile long) may carry as much as 50% more 

gular train with 100 cars, each carrying 100 tons.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-44. Coal is delivered to this power plant via a long overland conveyor. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-45. An example of a "mine mouth" power plant. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-46. Regraded low wall spoils.The vegetation has not been re-established to pre

onditions yet. Note the rocks placed to form dens for small animals.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Small mammal 

habitat

Regraded low 

wall spoils
MO-47. Regraded and revegetated low wall spoils. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
MO-48. Revegetated land is shown in the foreground with natural, undisturbed land in 

kground.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Revegetated land

Natural, undisturbed land
MO-49. Reclaimed lands. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Reclaimed land

Unreclaimed spoils
Figure MO-50. Topsoil replacement using Caterpillar scrapers. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
Figure MO-51. Reclamation in different stages: land in the foreground has been regraded and 

the topsoil (root medium material) has been replaced. Land in the background has been regraded and revegetated.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Ungraded spoils

Regraded land with 

replaced topsoil

Regraded land and 

revegetated land
Figure MO-52. Early stages of reclamation: regraded land; regraded land with topsoil 

replaced; regraded land with topsoil replaced and revegetated.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

,Unreclaimed highwall

Small mammal habitat

Regraded land with 

topsoil replaced Regraded and 

revegetated land
Figure MO-53. Low wall, out of pit regrading and revegetation adjacent to a major haul road. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Unreclaimed low-wall spoil

Mammal habitat

Native, undisturbed land

Regraded and 

revegetated land
Figure MO-54. Regraded and reseeded area. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999
Figure MO-55. Reclaimed land in foreground and unreclaimed low-wall spoils in background. Photograph by Ken Takahashi 1999
Figure MO-56. Hanna Basin reclamation. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Reclaimed land Undisturbed land with 

native vegetation
Figure MO-57. Reclaimed lands and undisturbed native grassland in the Hanna Basin. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Undisturbed land with 

native vegetation

Reclaimed land
Figure MO-58. It is difficult to distinguish between reclaimed lands and undisturbed land on 

this Hanna Basin access road. Pre-law reclamation areas were regraded to a 3:1 slope and reseeded.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Post-law reclamation Native, undisturbed land

Pre-law reclamation

(recontoured and reseeded)
Figure MO-59. Reclaimed land on both sides of an access road in Hanna Basin. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Reclaimed land
Figure MO-60. Reclaimed land in the Gillette coalfield. Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Reclaimed land Native, unmined land
Figure MO-61. The dark green area in the foreground is reclaimed land in the Williston Basin.

The coal truck is on a haul road surrounded by unmined land.

Photograph by Ken Takahashi, 1999

Reclaimed land

Unmined land with 

native vegetation

Coal haul truck
Instructions (conti

nued)

7. Clicking on the large images plays 

the movies and provides additional 

controls.

8. Sound volume control. Clicking on 

this button will display a sliding volume

control which can be dragged up or

down to raise or lower the volume.

9.This is the start and stop button.

Click on this button to start and stop 

the video.

10.This button indicates the progress 

of the movie. It can be dragged to the 

left or right to move to a different 

part of the video.

11.These buttons go to the beginning 

and end of the video.

9 10 11
 to the normal Acrobat 

ls, this chapter contains 

itional buttons to facilitate 

and right pointing red 

dvance the reader to

nd next page in the chapter.

ved left pointing button will 

 the page from which you 

 last menu selection.

 the small photos to view the 

rsion.

 the "thumbnail" images to

 to that page.

 the large images to view 

o clips of the equipment or 

.

click on the key to get information 

movie.

4 3

5

6