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MCPA, Virginia Energy Recognize Virginia Coal Industry Outstanding Achievements

 

October 29, 2024 - Outstanding achievements in the Virginia coal industry were recognized Thursday, October 24 during the annual Metallurgical Coal Producers Association (MCPA) and Virginia Energy awards banquet. The event was held at the Russell County Conference Center in Lebanon, VA, and recognized the best in the industry in mining, reclamation and safety.

Additionally, the awards ceremony recognized Mike Thomas, of Red River Coal Company, with an individual excellence award.

“We enjoy taking this opportunity every year to recognize the best of the best companies who are engaged daily in mining metallurgical coal in Virginia,” said MCPA President Ben Beakes. “It is through their efforts and those of their employees that the coal needed by our nation to make steel is mined. Met coal makes steel and these met coal companies all make us proud in the way they approach mining with a focus on safety, environmental responsibility and reclamation.”

Awards presented Thursday were as follows:

Best Active Underground Mine: The Black Diamond Company, Paw Paw 2 South Mine

Black Diamond Company, LLC was originally permitted in April 2014. The original permit area of 12.51 acres was never disturbed. Following additional property acquisition, the permit was amended by 7.86 surface acres and 1,967 underground acres in December 2019 for an additional mine face up.

The Paw Paw 2 South Mine was faced up at this location and began producing from the Splashdam seam in April 2022. A second production section was added in November 2022. Two additional areas  were added in 2023 for employee parking. Mine production is approximately 350,000 tons per year. Inspector is Nathan Abshire.

Best Reclaimed Underground Mine: Paramont Contura, LLC Deep Mine #26

Paramont Contura’s Deep Mine #26 conducted mining in the Lower Banner coal seam in Dickenson County VA. The permit consisted of 48.41 acres and was issued on December 20, 2016.

Paramont Contura, LLC constructed and maintained sediment and drainage control systems protecting offsite areas and nearby waterways, paying particular attention to surface drainage, erosion control and water quality. Six sediment ponds were associated with the permit and during operations, there were no effluent violations issued.

Since mining -- which has gone on at and near the property for nearly a century -- has been completed, all areas have been reclaimed to the approved post mining land uses of unmanaged forest and public use. Reclamation, which included re-establishing vegetation and tree planting, exceeded the standards set by state and federal regulations.

The public use area consists of approximately 1,403 feet of reconstructed stream channel which includes pools and riffles to enhance aquatic habitat.

The site also contributed scalp rock to backfill and reclaim the adjacent Lick Fork Highwall Elimination AML project site. This project work included back filling approximately 2,100 feet of highwall. It is estimated that realized cost savings for the state in that reclamation was approximately $330,000.

After reclamation was complete, Keyrock, LLC installed three methane burners at the area of the mine slope entrance. The burners eliminate excess methane produced by the old works preventing the methane from escaping into the environment. Inspector was Jeff Mullins.

2024 Best Active Preparation Plant: Dickenson-Russell Contura, LLC:

McClure Preparation Plant

 

Dickenson-Russell Contura, LLC operates the McClure Preparation Plant, a 505.55-acre permit located approximately one mile from McClure along Caney Creek. This operation employs 74 people and processes coal from Paramont Contura, LLC’s Deep Mine #41 in the Jawbone seam.

Clean coal is transported from the permit via rail. A series of sediment ponds, which are consistently being proactively cleaned out by the permittee, provide protection to Caney Creek. A paved haul road providing access to truck traffic, along with regular watering prevents issues related to tracking and dust. In an effort to incorporate the best technology into the facility, the plant is under active construction with the permittee adding a Fraccaroli & Balzan filter press onto the existing plant. Inspector is Adam Cumpston.

2024 Best Public Outreach in Mining: Wellmore Coal Company

Wellmore Coal Company, LLC hosted more than 150 students from Buchanan County High Schools as part of the 18th annual Arbor Day celebration with Virginia Energy and the MCPA.

The company graded and placed soil over the final area of the permit in preparation for the event, creating an excellent growth medium for students to plant more than 1,000 hardwood trees including northern red oak, white oak, dogwood and persimmon.

After planting the trees, the company treated students to lunch and educational stations at the MetInvest office in Grundy. The event taught students the importance of environmental protection during the coal mining process and allowed them to be a part of the reclamation process through reforestation. Inspectors were Josh McCoy and Angela Bandy.

2024 Best Reclaimed Surface Mine: Red River Coal Company Inc.

Black Creek Surface Mine

 

Red River Coal Company’s Black Creek Surface Mine began operations on September 27, 1996, encompassing 1,922 acres. At the outset of mining operations, the operator was faced with a variety of problems caused by pre-SMCRA mining. Many areas of the permit contained open benches, barren spoil piles and exposed highwalls. There were also multiple discharges from abandoned deep mines flowing directly into Black Creek.

The northern part of the permit started at White Oak Gap and ran north to Black Creek Lake and east to Chestnut Cabin Branch at State Route 623. The area was reclaimed to hayland/pastureland  as its post-mining land use and now consists of rolling hills and pastures. The area between White Oak Gap running north to Black Creek was reclaimed to unmanaged forest. Most of this area is now a lush forest with diverse wildlife.

The southern part of the permit started at Blackwood on State Route 58 and ran north to White Oak Gap. This area was reclaimed to unmanaged forest. Much of this area is also now well forested. A portion of this area has been reclaimed more recently and was planted with a variety of trees, providing vegetative cover for erosion control and wildlife habitat.

The operator took exemplary measures on this site to control surface drainage and provide treatment to diminish environmental impact from the abandoned mine discharges. More than 20 sediment structures were constructed to capture and manage effluent problems caused by the pre-SMCRA runoff.

Their correction of the problems caused by the abandoned mine discharges will have a long-lasting impact, playing an important role in improving water quality in Black Creek and the Powell River watershed. John Clevinger is the inspector.

Best AML Enhancement 2024: Buchanan Minerals LLC: Page Gob Pile Removal

This Buchanan County, VA project was completed in May of 2024, conducted by Buchanan Minerals LLC, with sub-contractors Savage Services and Mountain Fuels conducting the work.

Unusable spoil material from the project was used to eliminate approximately 6,000 feet of pre-law abandoned high walls. Inspector was Lail Deel.

2024 Best Active Surface Mine: Ramaco Resources Land Holdings LLC

 Big Creek Surface Mine

 

Ramaco Resources Land Holdings LLC’s permit was issued July 7, 2020. The permit consists of a total of 481 acres to be mined. The surface mine is on course to produce approximately 216,000 clean tons of coal in 2024 and employs 41 personnel. Inspectors are Lail Deel and Matthew Crouse.

Individual Excellence Award: Mike Thomas, Red River Coal Company

Mike Thomas started his mining career more than 50 years ago, with much of that time being with Humphreys Enterprises and Red River Coal.

During this time, Thomas has employed hundreds of workers. His company has always been known by members of the mining community as a great place to work and a company dedicated to reclamation. With the sometimes-uncertain nature of the mining business, this company has maintained a workforce where many have remained their entire career. The jobs provided have been a steady economic source for the community.

Thomas and others played a key role in crafting that environment. The Red River Coal Company’s annual picnic is something of a local legend, benefiting its employees for many years. Employees are also welcome to get some rest and relaxation and catch a few fish at their campground located at Black Creek Lake.

Safety Awards

Safety awards were presented to small surface, small underground, medium surface, medium underground, large surface and large underground mines, recognizing the safety hours worked at each company.

Companies recognized were as follows:

Small Surface

Coking Coal, LLC Pigeon Creek Prep Plant was recognized as the winner in the small surface category, logging 23,863  hours.

Certificates were also presented to  Civil, LLC S-5 Aily Branch, 22,540 hours; Clintwood JOD, LLC #9 Miner, 21,806 hours; True Energy LLC True Energy Fuels Mine, 20,224 hours;  A&G Coal Corporation Strip #12, 16,082 hours; and PB Dirt Movers Inc. Weller Yard Surface,  14,674 hours.

Small Underground

Stiltner Mining, Inc. Mine No. 2 was the winner in the small underground category, logging 17,771 hours.

Certificates were also presented to CBS Energy, Inc. Mine No. 2, 13,921 hours; Coking Coal, LLC D-6 North Fork,13,783 hours; and Bluegrass Natural Resources LLC 6C, 12,926 hours

Medium Surface

Auger Coal, LLC Hill Creek Auger was the winner in the medium surface category, logging 49,909 hours.

Certificates were also presented to Humphreys Enterprises, Inc. #26 Strip, 42,308 hours; Ramaco Land Holdings, LLC Tiller No. 1, 42,139 hours; Surface Minerals Company Surface Mine No. 1,  37,716 hours; Russell County Reclamation, LLC Moss #3, 37,194 hours; Paramont Contura, LLC Three Forks Highwall, 31,078 hours; and Paramont Contura, LLC Long Branch HWM, 30,887 hours.

Medium Underground

Coking Coal, LLC D-7 Osaka, was the winner in the medium underground category, logging 39,589 hours.

Large Surface

Dickenson-Russell Contura, LLC McClure, was the winner in the large surface category, logging 161,876 hours.

Certificates were also presented to Surface Minerals Company Elk Creek Surface, 117,456 hours; Paramont Contura, LLC 88 Strip Three Forks, 112,769 hours; Extra Energy, Inc. Virginia Point Surface, 91,952 hours; Ramaco Land Holdings, LLC Big Creek Surface, 83,960 hours; and Paramont Contura, LLC Long Branch Surface, 69,116 hours.

Large Underground

Patriot Mining, LLC No. 2 was the winner in the large underground category, logging 98,496 hours.

ABOUT THE MCPA: The Metallurgical Coal Producers Association (MCPA) is a regional association of leading U.S. metallurgical (met) coal producers in Appalachia. MCPA producing members account for more than half of the met coal produced in the United States. Its members employ 10,000 miners and support staff at 95 different mines in four states – Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.  The MCPA strives to educate the policymakers and the public that Met Coal Makes Steel and advocates for the opportunities within the met coal industry.