BHP Petroleum Americas
KNIGHT MINE- Reclaimed 1991, Permit INA/041/005
The Knight Mine was an underground mine that used conventional mining methods to extract coal from the Ivie seam and the Blackhawk Formation. A portal for the mine was constructed in late 1977 and early 1978. Coal was mined from this area until June 1980 when market conditions forced the mine to cease operations. In 1985, BHP acquired the mine and decided to permanently close and relaim the mine.
Since the mine had operated prior to the permanent program, DOGM issued a permit to allow reclamation activities at the mine. The permit was issued under the interim regulations with the condition that the requirements of the interim regulations be met for bond release. A one-year permit was issued in the fall of 1987; this permit was subsequently renewed for five years in October 1988.
In the fall of 1987, BHP initiated Stage I reclamation of the Knight Mine. Most of the earthmoving, drainage control, and revegetation was completed in the fall of 1987. In the fall of 1990, after the vegetation had been re-established, Stage II reclamation was initiated; this consisted of removing the main bypass culvert and re-establishing the main fork of Coal Creek as an open channel and converting the former sediment pond into a stock watering pond. Phase I bond release was effective November 8, 1994. Final bond release was conditionally approved in January 1998.
Mine Area Map