September 9, 2025 - Warrior Met Coal Company already has a major footprint in Tuscaloosa County but could be expanding it considerably if it wins the bidding on two lease sales at the end of this month.

One of President Donald J. Trump’s executive orders issued not long after he took office fulfilled a campaign promise. It increases American coal production and lifts regulations on the industry that has brought jobs to and played a major part in the economy of Tuscaloosa County and West Alabama.

Now the Department of the Interior has announced it is moving forward with three competitive coal lease sales in Alabama, Montana and Utah this fall. The Alabama leases are located in northern Tuscaloosa County, east of Highway 69 North.

According to a press release from U.S. Department of the Interior, "The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), will offer two lease areas covering about 14,050 acres beneath private lands in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The tracts contain an estimated 53 million tons of recoverable metallurgical coal, used in steelmaking and designated as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020. The sealed-bid sale will be held at 9:00 a.m. CDT, Sept. 30, at the BLM Eastern States State Office in Falls Church, Va."

Estimations are that the coal bed will have a 21-year lifespan, while employing approximately 425 employees annually. The company is building a $1.3 billion nine-mile conveyer belt from the Fayette-Walker County line to primarily get the coal out.

Applications for the leases were filed by subsidiaries of Warrior Met Coal Inc., Warrior Met Coal Mining LLC, and Warrior Met Coal BC, LLC, in order to expand the mining company’s existing operations in Tuscaloosa County. Acquisition of that property would expand operations of Warrior Met Coal’s Mine No. 4 and an 8,346-acre plot to expand its Blue Creek Mine No. 1.

“These sales reflect the Trump administration’s commitment to strengthening American Energy Dominance, supporting local economies and securing a stable supply of critical resources for the nation’s economy,” the interior department wrote in the press notification.

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited two Tuscaloosa County Warrior Met mines in April. He wrote about the lease sales for the press release, “By moving forward with these lease sales, we are creating good-paying jobs, supporting local communities, and securing the resources that keep America strong. President Trump’s leadership is putting American workers first and ensuring our nation’s energy future is built on reliable, homegrown resources,” he added.

The lease sales follow an in-person public hearing conducted by BLM and a public comment period.