45.1-161.64 - Maps of mines required to be made; contents; extension and preservation; use by Department; release; posting of map.
§ 45.1-161.64. Maps of mines required to be made; contents; extension andpreservation; use by Department; release; posting of map.
A. Prior to commencing mining activity, the operator of a coal mine, or hisagent, shall make, or cause to be made, unless already made and filed, anaccurate map of such mine. Beginning July 1, 2007, all maps shall bepresented on the Virginia Coordinate System of 1927, South Zone, unlessotherwise approved by the Chief. At intervals not to exceed 12 months andwhen a coal mine is abandoned, the operator shall submit to the Chief threecopies of an up-to-date map of the entire mine in paper format or one copy ofthe map in an electronic format. On and after July 1, 2007, only maps in anelectronic format will be accepted unless otherwise approved by the Chief. Ifthere are no changes in the information required to be submitted under thissection at the time an updated map is due, the operator may submit a noticethat there are no changes to the map in lieu of submitting an updated map tothe Department.
B. Underground coal mine maps shall show:
1. The active workings;
2. All pillared, worked out, and abandoned areas, except as provided in thissection;
3. Entries and aircourses with the quantity of airflow, direction of airflowindicated by arrows, and ventilation controls;
4. Contour lines of all elevations;
5. Dip of the coalbed;
6. Escapeways;
7. The locations that are known or should be known of (i) adjacent mineworkings within 1,000 feet, (ii) mines above or below, and (iii) water poolsabove;
8. Either producing or abandoned oil and gas wells located within 500 feet ofsuch mine and in any underground area of such mine; and
9. Such other information as the Chief may require.
Such map shall identify those areas of the mine which have been pillared,worked out, or abandoned, which are inaccessible, or cannot be entered safely.
C. Additional information required to be shown on underground coal mine mapsshall include:
1. Mine name, company name, mine index number, and name of the personresponsible for information on the map;
2. The scale and orientation of the map and symbols used on the map;
3. The property or boundary lines of the mine;
4. All known drill holes that penetrate the coalbed being mined;
5. All shaft, slope, drift, and tunnel openings and auger and strip minedareas of the coalbed being mined;
6. The location of all surface mine ventilation fans; the location may bedesignated on the mine map by symbols;
7. The location of railroad tracks and public highways leading to the mine,and mine buildings of a permanent nature with identifying names shown;
8. The location and description of a least two permanent base line pointscoordinated with the underground and surface mine traverses, and the locationand description of at least two permanent elevation bench marks used inconnection with establishing or referencing mine elevation surveys;
9. The location and elevation of any body of water dammed or held back in anyportion of the mine; provided, however, such bodies of water may be shown onoverlays or tracings attached to the mine maps used to show contour lines asprovided under subdivision 12 of this section;
10. The elevations of tops and bottoms of shafts and slopes, and the floor atthe entrance to drift and tunnel openings;
11. The elevation of the floor at intervals of not more than 200 feet in (i)at least one entry of each working section and main and cross entries; (ii)the last line of open crosscuts of each working section, and main and crossentries before such sections and main and cross entries that are abandoned;and (iii) rooms advancing toward or adjacent to property or boundary lines oradjacent mines; and
12. Contour lines passing through whole number elevations of the coalbedbeing mined. The spacing of such lines shall not exceed 10-foot elevationlevels, except that a broader spacing of contour lines may be approved by theChief for steeply-pitching coalbeds. Contour lines may be placed on overlaysor tracings attached to mine maps.
D. Underground coal mine maps submitted to the Chief shall be on a scale ofnot less than 100 or more than 500 feet to the inch. Mapping of theunderground mine works shall be completed by a closed loop survey method oftraversing or other equally accurate methods of traversing. All closed loopsurveys shall meet a minimum accuracy standard of one part in 5,000.Elevations shall be tied to either the United States Geological Survey or theUnited States Coast and Geodetic Survey benchmark system. A registeredengineer or licensed land surveyor shall certify that the map of the mineworkings is accurate.
E. Underground coal mine maps shall be kept up-to-date by temporary notationsand revised and supplemented at intervals not to exceed six months based on asurvey made and certified by a registered engineer or licensed land surveyorwho has exercised complete direction and control over the work to which it isaffixed. Temporary notations shall include:
1. The location of each working face of each working place;
2. Pillars mined or other such second mining;
3. Permanent ventilation controls constructed or removed, such as seals,overcasts, undercasts, regulators, and permanent stoppings, and the directionof air currents indicated; and
4. Escapeways designated by means of symbols.
F. At underground coal mines, an accurate map of the mine showing clearly allavenues of ingress and egress in case of fire shall be posted in a placeaccessible to all miners.
G. Surface coal mine maps shall show:
1. Name and address of the mine;
2. The property or boundary lines of the active areas of the mine;
3. Contour lines passing through whole number elevations of the coalbed beingmined. The spacing of such lines shall not exceed 25-foot elevation levels,except that a broader spacing of contour lines may be approved by the Chieffor steeply pitching coalbeds. The Chief may approve alternate means ofdelineating seam elevations where multiple seams are being mined. Contourlines may be placed on overlays or tracings attached to mine maps;
4. The general elevation of the coalbed or coalbeds being mined, and thegeneral elevation of the surface;
5. Either producing or abandoned oil and gas wells and gas transmission lineslocated on the mine property;
6. The location and elevation of any body of water dammed or held back in anyportion of the mine: provided, however, such bodies of water may be shown onoverlays or tracings attached to the mine maps;
7. All prospect drill holes that penetrate the coalbed or coalbeds beingmined on the mine property;
8. All auger and strip mined areas of the coalbed or coalbeds being mined onthe mine property together with the line of maximum depth of holes drilledduring auger mining operations;
9. All worked out and abandoned areas;
10. The location of railroad tracks and public highways leading to the mine,and mine buildings of a permanent nature with identifying names shown;
11. Underground mine workings underlying and within 1,000 feet of the activeareas of the mine;
12. The location and description of at least two permanent baseline points,and the location and description of at least two permanent elevation benchmarks used in connection with establishing or referencing mine elevationsurveys;
13. The scale of the map; and
14. Such other information required by the Chief.
H. Surface coal mine maps shall be kept up to date by temporary notations andrevised and supplemented at intervals not to exceed six months based on asurvey made and certified by a registered engineer or licensed land surveyorwho has exercised complete direction and control over the work to which it isaffixed. Temporary notations shall include:
1. The location of each working pit or pits;
2. Auger or highwall miner workings; and
3. Other information that may affect the safety of miners including, but notlimited to, updates of gas well or gas line locations.
I. Surface surveys shall originate from at least two permanent surveymonuments on the mine property located with a minimum accuracy standard ofone part in 10,000. The monuments shall be clearly referenced on the minemap. Elevations shall be tied to either the United States Geological Surveyor the United States Coast and Geodetic benchmark system.
J. The original map, or a true copy thereof, shall be left by the operator atthe active mine, open at all reasonable times for the examinations and use ofthe mine inspector.
K. Such maps may be used by the Department for the evaluation of the coalresources of the Commonwealth.
L. The map shall be filed and preserved among the records of the Departmentand copies of such maps shall be made available at a reasonable cost.
M. Any person who has conducted mining operations or prepared mine maps andwho has a map or surveying data of any worked out or abandoned undergroundcoal mine shall on request make such map or data available to the Departmentto copy or reproduce such material.
(Code 1950, § 45-10; 1954, c. 191; 1966, c. 594, §§ 45.1-27, 45.1-91; 1978,c. 118; 1980, c. 5; 1984, c. 590; 1986, c. 222; 1994, c. 28; 1995, c. 265;1996, c. 774; 1997, c. 390; 1999, c. 256; 2005, c. 3; 2007, cc. 894, 914.)