LMU
(19) Logical mining unit (LMU) means an area of land in which the recoverable coal reserves can be developed in an efficient, economical, and orderly manner as a unit with due regard to conservation of recoverable coal reserves and other resources. An LMU may consist of one or more Federal leases and may include intervening or adjacent lands in which the United States does not own the coal. All lands in an LMU shall be under the effective control of a single operator/lessee, be able to be developed and operated as a single operation, and be contiguous. (20) Logical mining unit (LMU) recoverable coal reserves means the sum of estimated Federal and non-Federal recoverable coal reserves in the LMU. (21) Maximum economic recovery (MER) means that, based on standard industry operating practices, all profitable portions of a leased Federal coal deposit must be mined. At the times of MER determinations, consideration will be given to: existing proven technology; commercially available and economically feasible equipment; coal quality, quantity, and marketability; safety, exploration, operating, processing, and transportation costs; and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The requirement of MER does not restrict the authority of the authorized officer to ensure the conservation of the recoverable coal reserves and other resources and to prevent the wasting of coal. (22) Methods of operation means the methods and manner, described in an exploration or resource recovery and protection plan, by which exploration, development, or mining activities are to be performed by the operator/lessee. (23) Minable reserve base means that portion of the coal reserve base which is commercially minable and includes all coal that will be left, such as in pillars, fenders, or property barriers. Other areas where mining is not permissible (including, but not limited to, areas classified as unsuitable for coal mining operations) shall be excluded from the minable reserve base. (24) Mine means an underground or surface excavation or series of excavations and the surface or underground support facilities that contribute directly or indirectly to mining, production, preparation, and handling of coal. (25) MLA means the Act of February 25, 1920, as amended, commonly referred to as the Mineral Leasing Act and codified at 30 U.S.C. 181, et seq., and the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands, as amended, 30 U.S.C. 351-359. (26) Notice of availability means formal notification by the authorized officer to: appropriate Federal, State, and local government agencies; to the surface and mineral owners; and to the public in accordance with 43 CFR 3481.2. (27) Operator/lessee means lessee, licensee, and/or one conducting operations on a Federal lease or license under a written contract or written agreement with the lessee or licensee. (28) Permanent abandonment of exploration operations means the completion of all activities conducted under an approved exploration plan, including plugging of all drill holes, submission of required records, and reclamation of all disturbed surfaces. (29) Permanent abandonment of mining operations means the completion of all development, production, and resource recovery and protection requirements conducted under an approved resource recovery and protection plan, including satisfaction of all Federal rental and royalty requirements. (30) Preparation means any physical or chemical treatment to prepare coal for market. Treatment may include crushing, sizing, drying, mixing, or other processing, and removal of noncoal waste such as bone or other impurities to enhance the quality and therefore the value of the coal. (31) Production means mining of recoverable coal reserves and/or commercial byproducts from a mine using surface, underground, auger, or in situ methods. (32) Recoverable coal reserves means the minable reserve base excluding all coal that will be left, such as in pillars, fenders, and property barriers. (33) Resource recovery and protection includes practices to: recover efficiently the recoverable coal reserves subject to these rules; avoid wasting or loss of coal or other resources; prevent damage to or degradation of coal-bearing or mineral-bearing formations; ensure MER of the Federal coal; and ensure that other resources are protected during exploration, development, and mining, and upon abandonment. (34) Resource recovery and protection plan means a plan showing that the proposed operation meets the requirements of MLA for development, production, resource recovery and protection, diligent development, continued operation, MER, and the rules of this part for the life-of-the-mine. (35) State Director means an employee of the Bureau of Land Management who has been designated as the chief administrative officer of one of the Bureau's 12 administrative areas designated as States. (36) Subsidence means a lowering of surface elevations over an underground mine caused by loss of support and subsequent settling or caving of strata lying above the mine.