- (a) Pit widths for each oil shale seam must be engineered and designed to eliminate or minimize the amount of oil shale fender to be left as a permanent pillar on the spoil side of the pit.
- (b) Considering mine economics and oil shale quality, the amount of oil shale wasted in each pit must be minimal.
- (c) The BLM must approve the final abandonment of a mining area.
- (d) The BLM must approve the conditions under which surface mines, or portions thereof, will be temporarily abandoned, under the regulations in this part.
(e) The operator/lessee may, in the interest of conservation, mine oil shale up to the Federal lease or license boundary line, provided that the mining:
- (1) Complies with existing state and Federal mining, environmental, reclamation, and safety laws and rules; and
- (2) Does not conflict with the rights of adjacent surface owners.
- (f) The operator must save topsoil for final application after the reshaping of disturbed areas has been completed.