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Colorado mine feels impact of quake

A SECTION of Oxbow Mining’s Elk Creek operation in western Colorado remains under a federal order halting production after a bounce that geological experts have tied to a 2.8 magnitude earthquake in the area on January 3.

Donna Schmidt
Colorado mine feels impact of quake

US Mine Safety and Health Administration spokeswoman Amy Louviere told ILN on Wednesday that the mine in Somerset, Delta County, near Paonia, suffered the second of two bounce events last week, though the specific time of the incident could not be confirmed.

An initial bounce occurred at the operation on December 2.

The affected section is under a federal K order, issued to suspend production following an event which has or can cause injury or death. Louviere did not indicate when the order could be lifted.

ILN could not reach an Oxbow official for comment on Wednesday afternoon.

That area is home to at least three underground coal mines, including Oxbow as well as Bowie and West Elk.

Bounces and burst are more commonplace in the western US coalfields, which often have more overburden than their Appalachian counterparts.

In all, a dozen coal operations operate in the state, including nine underground mines in Delta, Garfield, Gunnison, La Plata, Las Animas, Rio Blanco and Routt counties, and three surface mines in Moffat and Montrose counties.

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