Minnesota Administrative Rules

6131.0110 MINE DESIGN.

Subpart 1.

Goals.

Mining areas shall be designed, constructed, and managed to be compatible with surrounding nonmining land uses; to minimize adverse water quality and quantity effects; to be structurally sound; to promote progressive reclamation; and to encourage the prompt attainment of site restoration goals.

Subp. 2.

Requirements.

The requirements of mine design are contained in items A to D:

A.

Mining shall proceed in a manner approved by the commissioner according to the following:

(1)

Where practical, the mining area shall be developed as a series of mine plots.

(2)

Scheduling of mine plots shall be accomplished in a manner which promotes progressive reclamation.

(3)

Mine plots shall be designed so that when reclaimed, open water areas expected to form therein shall have a stable shoreline and a water level which shall not fluctuate to expose large areas of unvegetated land.

B.

Adjacent permitted peat mining operations shall be separated by unmined or successfully reclaimed areas, when necessary, to mitigate environmental impacts. The extent of these separations shall be determined by the commissioner according to the following criteria:

(1)

mine plot sizes and schedules for production and reclamation;

(2)

the extent to which separations will mitigate impacts;

(3)

the attainment of site restoration goals;

(4)

the use of the peat resource; and

(5)

land ownership.

C.

Dewatering and ditch design shall proceed in a manner approved by the commissioner according to the following:

(1)

Levels of surrounding protected waters shall not be lowered.

(2)

Adjacent peatlands shall not be dewatered to the extent that the value of the resource is diminished.

(3)

Ditches which divert waters around, or carry waters away from the mining area shall be constructed to avoid bank slumping and erosion.

D.

Mine wastes (including peat and wood wastes) from mining and processing shall be disposed of in a manner approved by the commissioner.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 93.461

History:

10 SR 277

Published Electronically:

June 11, 2008