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FEATURE ARTICLES NEWS/4 U.S. LONGWALL CENSUS/18

18 U.S. Longwall Operators Scale Back Production Ownership changes hands as new longwall operators emerge

24 Munich Prepares for bauma 2016 The world’s largest trade show offers something for everyone, including professionals in mining and mineral processing

28 The Benefits of Degasification BAUMA PREVIEW/24 FRONT-END LOADERS/32 When it comes to proper gas management and ventilation, a veteran industry expert answers the question: how wide is too wide for a longwall?

32 Jack of All Trades Industry’s trend of doing more with less has allowed Joy Global’s line of resourceful front-end loaders to take on even more responsibility

36 Achieving World-class Mining Maintenance: Step 3 — Establish an Efficient Program In the third segment of this six-part series, the author presents the basic steps in crafting an effective program that will enable operators to develop and sustain top-notch THIS ISSUE mine maintenance

COAL IN THE NEWS This month, Coal Age documents developments underground with its 4 North Antelope Rochelle Hits Shipping Milestone annual U.S. Longwall Census. On the cover, an Eickhoff shearing 4 Walter Energy to Sell Remaining U.S. Assets to Seminole machine cuts coal at the Blue Creek No. 4 longwall mine in Alabama. (Photo courtesy of Eickhoff) 5 Government Pushing Back on Alpha Executive Bonuses 6 OSM Grants Wyoming More Time on Bonding Reviews 8 Foresight Restarts All Mines Except Deer Run 7 Blackhawk to Meet Forecast for 2016 8 LG&E’s Coal Burn Increases in January DEPARTMENTS 10 Rosebud Could Recall Miners Soon 2 Editorial 14 Judge Orders New Review of Cloud Peak’s Spring Creek 4 Coal in the News 16 Blackhawk Mining Cuts 146 Workers 5 World News 12 Dateline Washington WORLD NEWS 14 Calendar 16 Awards 5 Anglo American to Sell Callide Mine 40 Operating Ideas Canada’s Quinsam Mine to Idle 42 Suppliers News 44 Product News 6 Richards Bay Terminal Hits Record 46 Classified Australian Authorities Investigating Mine Dam Collapse 48 Legally Speaking

February 2016 www.coalage.com 1 editor’s note Supreme Court Puts CPP on Hold

www.mining-media.com anity prevailed. On February 9, the U.S. Supreme Court Mining Media International Sissued a stay temporarily blocking President Barack Editorial Office Obama’s Clean Power Plan (CPP). The regulation, which is 11655 Central Parkway, Suite 306 the cornerstone of his climate change agenda, would require Jacksonville, Florida 32224 U.S.A. Phone: +1.904.721.2925 a 32% cut in carbon emissions from power plants by 2030. In Fax: +1.904.721.2930 a brief written order, the court granted emergency requests by coal operators, states and business groups to delay the Editor-in-Chief—Steve Fiscor, [email protected] regulations while they challenge it in the courts. The court’s Western Field Editor—Russ Carter, [email protected] BY STEVE FISCOR action was seen as a significant blow to the Environmental Field Editor—Donna Schmidt, [email protected] / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Protection Agency’s (EPA) plan to close coal-fired power European Editor—Simon Walker, [email protected] plants in the United States. Latin American Editor—Oscar Martinez, [email protected] The Supreme Court’s order is not a ruling, but it does signal that the CPP could Assistant Editor—Jennifer Jensen, [email protected] Graphic Designer—Austin St. Clair, [email protected] be successfully challenged in the courts, which have not had a chance to evaluate it yet. The move is also surprising as the Supreme Court has some fairly strict rules Mining Media International for granting stays. In fact, it’s believed that this is the first time the Supreme Court Corporate Office has stayed a regulation. The Supreme Court only issues stays when there is a rea- 8751 East Hampden, Suite B1 sonable probability that four justices will agree to review the case and a fair Denver, Colorado 80231 U.S.A. Phone: +1.303.283.0640 prospect that five justices could vote to overturn a lower court ruling, according to Fax: +1.303.283.0641 the Wall Street Journal. President/Publisher—Peter Johnson, [email protected] After an earlier request for a stay of the CPP was rejected in a lower court, a Vice President of Sales & Marketing—John Bold, [email protected] group of 27 states, state agencies, Murray Energy and the National Mining Midwest/Eastern U.S. & Canada, Sales—Victor Matteucci, [email protected] Association, along with other associations, petitioned the Supreme Court to stay Western U.S. & Canada, Sales—Mary Lu Buse, [email protected] the implementation on the grounds of governmental overreach. The coalition was Scandinavia, UK and European Sales—Colm Barry, [email protected] led by Patrick Morrisey, the Republican attorney general from West Virginia. “We Germany, Austria & Switzerland Sales—Gerd Strasmann, [email protected] are thrilled that the Supreme Court realized the rule’s immediate impact and froze Australia/Asia Sales—Lanita Idrus, [email protected] Japan Sales—Masao Ishiguro, [email protected] its implementation, protecting workers and saving countless dollars as our fight Indonesia Sales—Dimas Abdillah, [email protected] against its legality continues,” Morrisey said. When the lower court rejected the Latin America Sales—Paulina Downey, [email protected] / Sylvia Palma, stay, the coalition was worried that the EPA, which uses an overloaded court sys- [email protected] tem to its advantage, would evade the checks and balances from the judicial Classified Advertising—Kirk Carbo, [email protected] branch over the executive branch until after the damage had been done, much as Show Manager—Tim Fearney, [email protected] it did with the Utility MACT Rule. Production Manager—Dan Fitts, [email protected] As many as 30 lawsuits have been filed against the EPA, challenging the CPP and raising issues under the Clean Air Act — an area that has not really been explored by the courts. The states challenging the rule say the stay was needed or they would need to enact laws, revise regulations and devote vast sums of money to comply with the CPP. Similarly, power generators said that, without a stay, coal-fired power power plants would be forced to close until the issue was resolved. “The EPA lacks the authority to force such radical change,” Morissey Coal Age, Volume 121, Issue 2, (ISSN 1040-7820) is published monthly by Mining said. “Congress soundly rejected this proposal once, and we urge the EPA to with- Media Inc., 10 Sedgwick Drive, Englewood, Colorado 80113 (mining-media.com). draw the rule now as implementation would devastate countless jobs, increase Periodicals postage paid at Englewood, CO, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40845540. Canada return address: Station A, PO utility costs and jeopardize the nation’s energy grid.” Box 54, Windsor ON N9A 6J5, Email: [email protected]. Current and The immediate impact of the stay is unclear. States have been encouraged to back issues and additional resources, including subscription request forms and an ignore the September compliance deadline and they will likely do that now if they so editorial calendar, are available online at www.coalage.com. choose. Assuming the EPA does not withdraw it, the rule will likely be heard by the SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified persons may subscribe at the following rates: USA and Canada, 1 year, Supreme Court during the 2016-2017 term after the appeals process. The CPP $56.00, 2 year, $96.00, 3 year, $162.00, Student, $16.00, Outside the USA and requires all final plans to be submitted no later than 2018. Should the rule survive the Canada, 1 year, $77.00, 2 year, $137.00, 3 year, $225.00 surface mail (1 year, courts’ scrutiny, the next president will face the decision of repealing the regulation. $145.00, 2 year, $257.00 airmail delivery). For subscriber services or to order single copies, write to Coal Age, 8751 East Hampden, Suite B1, Denver, CO 80231 USA; call +1.303.283.0640 (USA) or visit www.mining-media.com. ARCHIVES AND MICROFORM: This magazine is available for research and retrieval of select- ed archived articles from leading electronic databases and online search services, including Factiva, LexisNexis, and Proquest. For microform availability, contact ProQuest at 800-521- 0600 or +1.734.761.4700, or search the Serials in Microform listings at www.proquest.com. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Coal Age, P.O. Box 1337, Skokie, IL 60076 USA. 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North Antelope Rochelle Hits Shipping Milestone

Peabody Energy’s North Antelope Rochelle mine (NARM), the nation’s top producing operation and the company’s flagship complex in the southern Powder River Basin of Wyoming, has shipped its 2 billionth ton of coal. The company said January 20 that the new marker represents more than 83 million man- hours and the loading of 17 million train cars and more than 125,000 trains. NARM met its first billion-ton milestone in 2006, 23 years after first coal was taken from the mine. Peabody officials point- ed out that, if the complex were a nation, it would place near the top 10 countries globally for coal production. “Two billion tons makes for a lot of zeroes…and a lot of low- cost, reliable electricity to power homes and businesses all across the country,” President of the Americas Kemal Williamson said. “As the world’s largest and most productive coal mine, North Antelope Rochelle produces nearly 15% of the Unit trains cycle through the North Antelope Rochelle mine in Wyoming. coal used for generation in the United States and by itself fuels 5% of the electricity used in the United States — over eight Included in the idles and furloughs are Marfork’s Brushy times more than all the solar power in the country.” Eagle, Slip Ridge Cedar Grove, Horse Creek Eagle, Allen The North Antelope mine began operating in 1983, and the Powellton and Coon Cedar Grove underground mines and the Rochelle mine beginning production in late 1985. The two Marfork processing plant, all in Raleigh County, West Virginia. mines were combined in 1999, and they now employ about About 468 employees and another 40 operational support 1,400 people. employees will be impacted. Additionally, Elk Run’s Hunter Peerless, Seng Creek and Alpha to Idle 8 Mines, 2 Plants; Hundreds Furloughed Roundbottom Powellton underground mines and the Chess pro- Ahead of its plant to idle eight mining operations and two pro- cessing plant, all in Boone County, West Virginia, will close, cessing plants in southern West Virginia on an ongoing market affecting approximately 363 employees plus 15 support staff. slump, troubled miner Alpha Natural Resources has issues lay- Alpha officials did not outline the closure dates for the off notices to a total 886 workers. The mines’ operators, mines and plants. Marfork Coal, Elk Run Coal and Maxxim Shared Services, issued “This action is the direct result of an oversupply of coal in Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act the marketplace, coupled with dramatically reduced demand, notices on January 25. The last day for workers will be on or which has driven down prices to unsustainable levels — par- about March 25. ticularly for Central Appalachia coal,” the company said.

BREAKING NEWS

Walter Energy to Sell Remaining U.S. Assets to Seminole holders under the very difficult circumstances we have faced in our Walter Energy announced it has signed an asset purchase agreement industry,” said Walt Scheller, chief executive officer. “Over the last sever- with Seminole Coal Resources LLC, ERP Compliant Coke LLC and ERP al months, we have worked hard to build a path forward for our opera- Environmental Fund Inc. (Seminole), which are all related to ERP tions, while also ensuring the company’s environmental obligations are Compliant Fuels LLC (ERP), an affiliate of Virginia Conservation Legacy appropriately addressed to the highest standards. VCLF has established Fund Inc. (VCLF), for its remaining U.S. assets. The company’s Canadian a strong track record in this area, and we are very pleased to be partner- and United Kingdom subsidiaries are excluded from the transaction. ing with them in this transaction.” Seminole will acquire Walter Energy’s assets in West Virginia, The agreement was filed on February 1 with the Bankruptcy Court including the Gauley Eagle and Maple properties, as well as Walter for the Northern District of Alabama in connection with a proposed, Coke and Taft in Alabama. As part of the acquisition, Seminole will court-approved sale process. On July 15, Walter Energy and its U.S. assume liabilities related to the assets it is acquiring. subsidiaries filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy “The asset sale agreements we have negotiated during Walter Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Energy’s restructuring process — first with members of our senior lender PJT Partners is serving as financial advisor and Paul, Weiss, group and now with ERP and VCLF — together represent the best possi- Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Bradley Arant Boult Cummings ble outcome for Walter Energy, its creditors, employees, and other stake- LLP are serving as legal advisors to Walter Energy.

4 www.coalage.com February 2016 news continued

TOP 10 COAL-PRODUCING STATES WORLD NEWS ¸ ˛ ˝ ¸ (in Thousand Short Tons) China Set to Slash Steel, Coal Output Week Ending (1/30/16) China, the world’s biggest steel and coal producer, will cut excess YTD ‘16 YTD ‘15 % Change steel capacity by 100 to 150 million metric tons (mt) in the two key Wyoming 23,935 34,785 -31.2 sectors as part of the painful restructuring of the world’s second West Virginia 6,095 9,514 -35.9 largest economy, according to The Economic Times. Illinois 4,075 5,870 -30.6 During the meeting, Premier Li Keqiang underlined the urgency entucky 3,759 5,878 -36.0 and the government’s resolve to cut excess capacity in steel and coal Pennsylvania 3,132 4,795 -34.7 industries, as the country strives to restructure its economy, which Montana 2,824 3,816 -26.0 saw its lowest growth in 25 years at 6.9% last year. Indiana 2,244 3,305 -32.1 North Dakota 1,843 2,588 -28.8 The state council did not specify the deadline for such a cut, but Texas 1,764 2,782 -36.6 pointed out that China has cut its production capacity of crude steel Colorado 1,198 1,838 -34.8 by more than 90 million mt in recent years, as reported by the state- run Xinhua news agency. U.S. Total 56,737 83,890 -32.4 China will reduce the production capacity of coal by “a relatively large margin,” according to the statement. China is the world’s Alpha Natural Resources filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy largest producer and consumer of coal. protection last August. At the time, it secured an 18-month debtor-in-possession (DIP) package totaling $692 million from Anglo American to Sell Callide Mine Citigroup. Anglo American will sell its 100% interest in the Callide thermal coal mine in Queensland, Australia, to Batchfire Resources. The transac- Government Pushing Back on Alpha Executive Bonuses tion remains subject to several conditions precedent, and its terms The trustee division of the U.S. Justice Department has filed an are confidential. Callide consists of an open-pit thermal coal mine objection to a plan by Alpha Natural Resources to distribute and associated processing infrastructure that produced 7.6 million $11.9 million in bonuses to its executives. metric tons (mt) of coal in 2014 (and 5.6 million mt in the first nine The agency said in a formal filing that the compensation months of 2015), the majority of which (4.7 million mt in 2014) was could not be justified “under the facts and circumstances” of sold to two adjacent power stations under long-term contracts. the case and that it simply cannot afford it while suffering financial problems and axing benefits for its workforce. Coal India to Rationalize Domestic Coal Pricing in Current Year The plan was a revised one, as Alpha had initially sought to Coal India Ltd. (CIL) will rationalize coal prices based on Gross pay 17 executives a total of about $14.8 million. After creditor Calorific Value (GCV) before the end of the current fiscal year, but negotiations, it entered a plan for 15 executives and $11.9 mil- ruled out any move to align it with the international price of coal. lion. A senior official in the Ministry of Coal said the country’s largest In its filing with the plan, the company reportedly said the miner had already initiated an exercise to rationalize coal prices bonuses were needed to retain its officials as it sifts through across all grades based on GCV and CIL would be in a position to bankruptcy. revise the prices before March 31. Alpha filed for Chapter 11 protection last August in the U.S. International prices will keep fluctuating and might even go up in Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in the future, but ensuring a rational domestic price based on GCV of Richmond. supplies will ensure stable heat rate at thermal power plants. It will also protect consumers, since the electricity tariff or the end product Arch Coal Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy of fossil fuel was government administered and free pricing of fuel Arch Coal, which has been fairly steadfast as the nation’s No. 2 did not economically align with an end product that is administered, coal miner, confirmed January 11 that it has filed for Chapter the official said. 11 bankruptcy protection in an effort to eliminate about $4.5 billion in years-old debt load. Canada’s Quinsam Mine to Idle The St. Louis-based producer said it has reached a deal Hillsborough Resources’ Quinsam underground mine on Vancouver with most of its lenders tied into its $1.9 billion first-lien Island in British Columbia, Canada, will be idled indefinitely and financing facility to restructure the debt, some of which it has put up for sale, the operator said, citing continued volatile coal carried since its 2011 takeover of International Coal Group prices. The thermal room-and-pillar operation in Campbell River, in (ICG). operation since 1987, will be placed into care and maintenance and Arch, which missed a $90 million interest payment on its its workforce of 66 will be “reduced significantly,” the privately held debt last month, further fueling talk of bankruptcy, has been company said. one of the many miners weighed down by low coal prices, Quinsam primarily serves the cement industry. It is the fifth falling seaborne demand and increasingly strict environmen- British Columbia coal operation in two years to close. tal regulations. Arch said it and “substantially all” of its wholly-owned sub- sidiaries in the U.S. filed voluntary petitions in the United States Continued on p. 6...

February 2016 www.coalage.com 5 news continued

Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. As it Continued from p. 5... wades through reorganization, officials said mining operations Richards Bay Terminal Hits Record and customer shipments will continue uninterrupted. The Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) in South Africa shipped a “After carefully evaluating our options, we determined that record 75.4 million metric tons (mt), beating its 74-million-mt target implementing these agreements through a court-supervised and increasing its year-on-year throughput by 5.7%. Company CEO process represents the best way to solidify our financial posi- Nosipho Siwisa-Damasane said the record was “a very difficult one to tion and strengthen our balance sheet,” said John Eaves, chair- break” and said the whole-year outlook for 2016 should be in line with man and CEO, Arch Coal. 2015. She also said that the facility reviewed its business model in Eaves pointed out that the company has taken several steps the face of the global coal market downturn and is working to ensure to enhance operational efficiency and bolster its asset base in higher productivity and efficiencies, reduction in downtimes, opera- the time since the market downturn began. tional and support cost reductions and faster turnaround times for While it confirmed cash holdings and short-term invest- vessels and trains. RBCT achieved 4 million man-hours without a ments of more than $600 million as of January 11, it received lost-time accident as of January 10. $275 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing. “Upon approval by the bankruptcy court and satisfaction of Rio Tinto Sells Mount Pleasant to MACH Energy customary conditions, these financings, as well as the compa- Rio Tinto has agreed to sell its Mount Pleasant thermal coal assets to ny’s existing liquidity and cash generated from ongoing opera- MACH Energy Australia Pty Ltd. for $224 million plus royalties. With tions, will be used to support the business during the the recently announced binding agreement for the sale of Rio Tinto’s restructuring process,” the company said. interest in the neighboring Bengalla coal joint venture, this amounts Arch has set up a website for documents and scheduled to $830 million of agreed sales. hearings related to its case at www.archcoal.com/restructur- “These agreements for more than $800 million in asset sales ing. Davis Polk & Wardwell is serving as the company’s legal deliver significant value for our shareholders, with the potential for advisor, and PJT Partners is serving as financial advisor. future royalties from Mount Pleasant,” said Jean-Sébastien Jacques, chief executive for copper and coal at Rio Tinto. “We believe Mount OSM Grants Wyoming More Time on Bonding Reviews Pleasant can have a very positive future under its new owners with Officials with the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and different priorities for development and capital allocation.” Enforcement (OSM) have extended the time for Wyoming envi- Rio Tinto has now announced or completed US$4.7 billion of ronmental officials have to complete reviews into two coal oper- divestments since January 2013. ators that allegedly have violated reclamation standards. Mount Pleasant is a large-scale, thermal coal asset in the Hunter According to the Casper Star Tribune, the Wyoming Department Valley of New South Wales with total marketable reserves of 474 mil- of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was given until February 12 lion metric tons. The sale is subject to certain conditions precedent and February 22 to complete its investigations into Alpha being met, including completion of the restructure of Coal & Allied Natural Resources and Arch Coal, respectively, regarding their and regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second quar- reclamation status. The initial deadline was February 1, but ter of 2016. DEQ officials responded that they needed more time due to the evaluations’ complexities. They requested March 1 because of Australian Authorities Investigating Mine Dam Collapse the “factual and legal issues raised in the letters and the multi- The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is cur- ple other demands on DEQ as it prepares for the upcoming leg- rently overseeing an investigation into a sedimentation dam wall that islative session,” but its date proposal was rejected. collapsed at a coal operation in the Hunter Valley. The probe as a whole first emerged in mid-January, when EPA officials said a partial collapse at the Warkworth mine the OSM said Alpha and Arch, both in the midst of Chapter 11 occurred January 6, which was reported to the agency by mine offi- bankruptcy proceedings, may be holding insufficient insur- cials. While at the time, the company reported that the environment ance for its permits. Both companies utilized self-bonding for was not in danger and had not caused the event, the EPA still ordered its properties; however, the DEQ said last year that Alpha no an incident report. longer qualified for the status and ordered it to put up collater- It also has directed the mine’s owner, Rio Tinto, to commence al. In the case of Arch, which filed for bankruptcy last month, it cleanup to prevent further sediment leakage. has remained qualified for self-bonding under its Arch The spill is reportedly the third in the region in recent weeks; the Western Resources division. EPA is also investigating a partial dam wall collapse at Peabody When it filed for bankruptcy last year, Alpha agreed to a $61 Energy’s Wambo operation following a mine collapse. million “super-priority” claim for Wyoming on its obligation of Regional media has also reported on a mine dam overflow at Rio $411 million. The combined tab for Alpha and Arch’s reclama- Tinto’s Bengalla mine, though the EPA has not yet confirmed the tion obligations total about $900 million, according to the Star nature of that incident. Tribune.

˛ Can Alliance Keep Its Record Pace in 2016? Alliance Resource Partners turned in another record year for coal production and sales in 2015. But that glittery perfor- mance is likely to be dimmed somewhat in 2016 as the major

6 www.coalage.com Februaruy 2016 news continued

Illinois Basin (ILB) and Northern Appalachian (NAPP) steam Alliance has had some recent success in adding to its long- coal producer applies the brakes to output and shifts produc- term sales book. Since its third quarter earnings release in tion to lower-cost mines as it waits for the abysmal coal mar- October, the company has contracted for an additional 7.5 ket to improve. million tons at an average price of $41.73/ton. Thus far, the Joseph Craft, the company’s president and CEO, delivered company has secured coal sales of about 19.1 million tons, that message to analysts during a January 26 conference call to 14.5 million tons and 7.1 million tons for 2017, 2018 and 2019, discuss Alliance’s fourth quarter 2015 and full-year earnings. respectively, and Craft said he expects those figures to increase As usual, Alliance had another good year. It posted net by the end of the second quarter this year. income of $306 million before taxes for the 12 months, but saw income dip to $21.5 million in the fourth quarter, an 82.6% Blackhawk to Meet Forecast for 2016 decrease, as the company felt the impact of lower coal prices Blackhawk Mining said on February 1 its planned shutdown of and reduced sales, reflecting a deferral in shipments by some several Central Appalachian (CAPP) coal mines this spring is electric utility customers. not expected to change its 2016 production forecast of 16 mil- Alliance produced 41.2 million tons and sold 40.2 million lion tons, which would represent more than a 50% increase tons last year, or 1.1% and 1.3% more than in 2014, respectively. from 2015. Because of the market’s continued softness, Alliance has This year’s tonnage will be divided almost evenly between ratcheted back planned 2016 production to a range of 33.7 mil- metallurgical and steam coal, according to Jesse Parrish, lion and 35.7 million tons. It expects sales to range between spokesman for the Lexington, Kentucky-based company. 34.6 million and 38.1 million tons. Blackhawk produced about 10 million tons in 2015 and has Part of the decrease is the impending closure of the Elk been increasing output steadily since it was founded in 2010 Creek underground mine near Madisonville, Kentucky, oper- through the acquisition of the Spurlock mining complex in ated by the company’s Hopkins County Coal subsidiary. High- Floyd County, Kentucky, from bankrupt Black Diamond sulfur coal reserves at Elk Creek, a big producer for years, have Mining Co. played out, and the mine is expected to shut down by the end The bulk of this year’s output is slated to come from CAPP, of March. Alliance recently placed its Gibson North under- where Blackhawk now operates additional mines it picked up ground mine in Gibson County, Indiana, and Onton under- from bankrupt Patriot Coal Corp. last year. The company is ground mine in Hopkins County on “hot idle.” Craft said he targeting about 2 million tons of production from its Triad hopes both will resume production later this year, although Mining subsidiary in Indiana, similar to last year. Blackhawk that is far from certain. acquired Triad, its first purchase in the high-sulfur Illinois Even its River View near Uniontown in Union County, Basin, from bankupt James River Coal Co. in 2014. Kentucky, is being affected. River View, one of the largest According to Parrish, Blackhawk has enough sales to cover underground mines in the ILB, produced 9.1 million tons in most of this year’s anticipated production. 2015, down slightly from 9.3 million tons in 2014, according to However, the company continues to be adversely affected the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). by soft market conditions, like other U.S. coal producers. For now, however, Alliance has shelved a previous plan to That is why it issued federal Worker Adjustment and boost production even more at River View, Craft said. Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notices on February 1 to “Conditions in the U.S. thermal coal markets continued to approximately 160 employees at the Rowdy Gap, Spencer Fork deteriorate during the 2015 quarter as mild weather reduced and Thunder Ridge surface mines that are part of the compa- overall power demand,” he said. “Utilities responded by delay- ny’s Pine Branch business unit in eastern Kentucky’s Perry and ing contracted tons and adding to their already above normal Leslie counties. coal stockpiles.” Together, the three mines produced nearly 1 million tons of Looking ahead, Alliance believes 2016 coal demand for its steam coal in 2015. Unless Blackhawk is able to obtain more ILB and NAPP markets will be 6% and 7%, below 2015, respec- sales in the coming weeks, the mines are expected to close in tively, depending on the weather, he said. As a result, the com- March. pany is uncertain whether utilities “will satisfy this demand by In early January, Blackhawk also issued WARN notices to reducing inventories or taking advantage of current low spot employees at the Winchester underground mine and Hampden prices and purchase coal to match their coal burn.” No. 2 mine, as well as the Tom’s Fork prep plant, in West Craft said coal supply in 2016 is likely to be close to 800 mil- Virginia’s Kanawha and Logan counties. lion tons in the U.S. In Alliance’s primary markets, the ILB and Two mines will continue to operate at the Pine Branch com- NAPP, supply was about 53 million tons in the October- plex in several eastern Kentucky counties. They include the December period, or about 212 million tons on an annual Wiley Branch and East Long Fork mines. basis. “We expect 2016 coal demand to be about 215 million Pine Branch sells steam coal from the CAPP basin to a num- tons, which is 20 million tons below 2015 levels.” ber of electric utilities in the southeastern U.S. and internation- In the fourth quarter, Alliance actually sold 1.5% more coal, al utility customers, according to Blackhawk’s website. 7.8 million tons, in the ILB than the 7.6 million tons it sold a year earlier. But sales in NAPP and Central Appalachia were 2.1 Foresight Restarts All Mines Except Deer Run million tons, down 8.3% from 2.3 million tons in the fourth High-sulfur steam coal was being produced again at three quarter of 2014. Foresight Energy mines in Illinois in early 2016 following a lengthy

February 2016 www.coalage.com 7 news continued

Christmas holiday hiatus. But when the St. Louis-based company’s IEPA said it initially granted the permit “to allow the appli- Deer Run longwall mine, which was indefinitely idled because of a cants to construct and eventually operate two UIC wells on a stubborn carbon monoxide problem that has dogged the mine temporary basis in an effort to manage an unexpectedly large since last March 26, will be running again remained a mystery. volume of groundwater infiltrating the mine, putting miners at Foresight’s M-Class Mining/Sugar Camp Energy and Mach risk. If discharged to surface waters, this wastewater would Mining/Pond Creek longwall mines in Franklin and Williamson violate the state’s water quality standards for chloride and dis- counties, respectively, resumed producing coal in early January solved solids.” after being down for a couple of weeks in December, as did the Foresight also was facing an early February deadline to Macoupin Energy/Shay No. 1 continuous miner operation in reach a negotiated settlement with its creditors to restructure Macoupin County. more than 75% of its more than $600 million of debt. In Illinois coal officials said the lengthy December shutdown December, a Delaware court ruled the Murray Energy transac- apparently was an attempt by Foresight to trim stockpiles. Gary tion triggered an agreement with Foresight’s unsecured bond- Broadbent, assistant general counsel and spokesman for both holders, enabling them to seek early repayment. Foresight and Murray Energy Co., confirmed all of Foresight’s It was not immediately clear what impact, if any, Illinois mines were operating again except for Deer Run, also Foresight’s failure to reach a satisfactory agreement with the known as Hillsboro, in Montgomery County. But he did not creditors might have on the company’s mining operations. comment on the reason for the holiday break. Murray Energy, based in St. Clairsville, Ohio, acquired a major ownership stake LG&E’s Coal Burn Increases in January in Foresight almost a year ago. January’s colder weather was music to the ears to officials of As of early February, Foresight had not publicly released Kentucky’s largest electric utilities, Louisville Gas & Electric projected tonnage figures for 2016. But unless Deer Run (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities (KU), who saw all of their coal- reopens soon, they are likely to be less than its nearly 22 million burning generating units running again after some were tons of output in 2014. Mach Mining, Shay and Deer Run pro- “backed down” because of December’s mild temperatures and duced about 9.5 million tons in 2015, according to the federal low natural gas prices. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Deer Run’s 1.9 The higher burn also was cheered by coal producers, most- million tons were significantly below its 5.5 million-ton total in ly in the high-sulfur Illinois Basin, that sell the 14 million-15 2014. Final 2015 numbers for Sugar Camp were not yet avail- million tons of steam coal consumed annually by the sub- able. The mine turned out about 9 million tons in 2014. sidiaries of Pennsylvania’s PPL Corp. Complicating the public uncertainty over Deer Run has Michael Dotson, fuels manager for LG&E and KU, said the been the relative dearth of information released by the compa- increased burn would not necessarily, or immediately for that ny about the mine. Except for an occasional snippet of infor- matter, translate into additional coal purchases by the two mation volunteered by Foresight, MSHA and the Illinois utilities. That is because they are still working through a large, Department of Natural Resources have provided most of the though unspecified, coal inventory backlog that has persisted regular updates surrounding Deer Run. since last year. Foresight, for instance, has been hesitant to refer to the Dotson was hoping the winter of 2015-2016 would feature probable cause of the prolonged elevated CO levels as a mine more cold weather in February and March. Most weather pro- fire, though state and federal officials have indicated a stub- jections, were calling for somewhat warmer than normal tem- born fire or “hotspot” in a mined-out area behind the longwall peratures in Kentucky for the remainder of winter. is the most likely culprit. Weather — both the winter and upcoming summer — likely In early January, Murray Energy confirmed about 100 Deer will dictate whether LG&E and KU return to the spot coal market Run miners had been laid off indefinitely. The mine had about in 2016. If temperatures are mild, Dotson does not expect to buy 104 employees in the fourth quarter of 2015, MSHA figures additional coal this year. If they are more extreme, cold in show, down from about 124 in early 2015. February and March and hot this summer, then coal purchases MSHA spokeswoman Amy Louviere said her agency had are possible. approved a request by Foresight to pump water into Deer Run’s shaft “to seal the shaft. “The water will act as a seal so that when they remove the fan housing from the top of the shaft, the inert atmosphere (nitrogen) will not escape.” Despite Deer Run’s CO woes, Foresight is proposing a 7,731-acre expansion of the mine, according to state regula- tors. The expansion would be in a different area of the mine not affected by the elevated CO levels. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), meanwhile, has extended an emergency underground injec- tion control well permit to Sugar Camp Energy through December 31, 2016. The emergency permit, issued on May 20, 2014, was to have expired on May 20, 2015, but was extended LG&E and KU see their coal burn increasing at power plants. the first time through December 31, 2015.

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LG&E and KU have not yet awarded final contracts off a for- The idlings affected 429 employees, about half of the compa- mal high-sulfur coal solicitation last fall for up to 3 million tons ny’s approximately 850-person workforce. Rosebud’s three for several years starting in 2017. underground mines in eastern Ohio have continued to operate. The coal will be bought for the utilities’ four major baseload Rosebud has been a reliable regional coal producer for coal plants totaling more than 5,000 megawatts; 1,932-megawatt years, since its founding in East Brady, Pennsylvania, in 1979. Ghent, 1,472-megawatt Mill Creek, 1,274-megawatt Trimble The company normally produces about 7 million tons of coal County, and 739-megawatt E.W. Brown. annually, virtually all from underground, continuous miner Last year, LG&E and KU retired about 800 megawatts, or 13%, operations. of their coal-fired generation when the Cane Run, Green River Rosebud has not indicated when it will move forward with and Tyrone plants were shuttered, mainly because of the federal development of its newest coal mine, Ginger Bend in Belmont Environmental Protection Agency’s new pollution rules. and Guernsey counties in Ohio. The underground mine In their place, the utilities completed construction last sum- received a final permit in December from the Ohio Division of mer on Kentucky’s first combined-cycle natural gas plant, 640- Mineral Resources Management (ODMRM). It is expected to megawatt, $563 million Cane Run Unit No. 7 near Louisville. produce at least 1 million tons a year, making it one of the Altogether, LG&E and KU serve about 1.2 million customers. company’s largest mines, according to an ODMRM official. They owned almost 8,000 megawatts of generation, mostly coal- In late December, Alpha Natural Resources said it complet- fired. ed the sale of its Amfire Mining Co. subsidiary to Rosebud for approximately $80 million, including $75 million in cash and Rosebud Could Recall Miners Soon the assumption of certain liabilities. Amfire Mining has 10 Rosebud Mining Co. hopes to resume production sometime in mines and four prep plants and loadouts in Pennsylvania’s February at the roughly 20 small underground steam coal mines Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Elk, Greene, Indiana and in western Pennsylvania it temporarily idled in early January Somerset counties. because of a reduced demand for electricity resulting from mild Rosebud has made similar acquisitions during the past weather in late 2015. decade. In 2010, it purchased the assets of Buckeye Industrial Jim Barker, vice president of the Kittanning, Pennsylvania- Mining of Lisbon, Ohio, a transaction that expanded based privately owned company, said it is Rosebud’s intent to Rosebud’s reserve holdings into Columbiana, Stark and restart most of the mines, 11 of which are in Indiana County, Jefferson counties in Ohio. but a final decision would depend on market conditions In late 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of including a decrease in utility customer and Rosebud coal Environmental Protection issued an air permit to TJS Mining, inventories. NRG Energy’s 1,884-megawatt Homer City acquired by Rosebud on December 31, 2010, for its 420,000- Generating Station in Indiana County is among Rosebud’s ton-per-year TJS No. 6 prep plant in Armstrong County, largest customers. Pennsylvania. In January 2011, Rosebud bought Action Mining and its related companies in Somerset County. Action consisted of seven surface mines in the county and a tipple on the CSX Railroad near Meyersdale.

Solar Sources Manages Through the Trough Officials with small Illinois Basin steam coal producer Solar Sources can be forgiven if the company’s production forecast for 2016 seems like that old quote attributed to the late New York Yankees’ baseball star and “philosopher” Yogi Berra — “It’s like deja vu all over again.” If this year follows true to form, then the privately owned Indianapolis-based company will sell out the approximately 2 million tons or so it plans to produce before the curtain falls on 2016. Felson Bowman, Solar’s founder decades ago and chair- man, is not complaining, given the many challenges facing the industry. “We’ve got some long-term contracts and we’re picking up some smaller orders,” Bowman said in January. Historically, Solar has sold coal to U.S. electric utilities, par- ticularly those operating in its home base of the Midwest. Many utilities in the region are located in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator region, a Carmel, Indiana-based regional grid operator, where coal-burning generation still Rosebud Mining’s mine No. 78 prep plant began operations in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in 2008. accounts for more than 50% of total output, much higher than coal’s roughly 30% share nationally.

10 www.coalage.com February 2016 news continued

Solar’s two operating surface mines in southern Indiana — Still on the back burner, as it has been for the past several Shamrock in Dubois County and Antioch in Daviess County — years, is Solar’s proposed new underground steam coal mine, produced about 1 million tons a piece in 2015 and are expected Charger, in Pike County, Indiana. The company had hoped to to repeat that performance this year. place Charger in operation by now. The mine would produce at The Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Division of least 1 million tons of high-sulfur coal annually, perhaps as Reclamation is reviewing Solar’s recently submitted applica- much as 2 million tons a year. tion to add nearly 900 acres at Antioch, near the Amish com- But it continues to remain on the sidelines, awaiting favor- munity of Montgomery. If approved later this year, the able market signals. Should they emerge, Bowman said additional acreage would lengthen the mine’s life by an esti- Charger could be up and running in a matter of months. Over mated two to five years, although production would not change the years, Solar has carved out a successful niche for itself. appreciably. While some of its larger competitors went deep into debt in

DATELINE WASHINGTON The Secret We All Know

BY LUKE POPOVICH With the possible exception of Hillary Clinton’s stopped in its tracks while global terrorism metastasizes. Of course, state department emails, nothing has been less the casualties in the “war on coal” are the good guys. These are the of a secret than President Barack Obama’s desire thousands of miners and their families, and the tens of thousands of to demolish his country’s coal industry. But his others who rely on coal, all victims of “friendly fire” from their own eagerness to do so wasn’t always so blatant. government. At the United Nations Climate Conference, the president Early in his presidency he began by taking pot- boasted of his plans to shut down his coal industry, but here at home shots at us — here vetoing a mining permit, there attributes the coal carnage to fuel switching from gas. This presi- cooking up new water quality “standards” to protect dent may have a climate change legacy, but he’ll certainly be big flies that reproduce in West Virginia ponds. When bugs are more recalled for having destroyed more blue-collar, high-wage employ- important than coal miners, it’s time to write your congressman. Back ment opportunities than any president in history. then, the president’s men were still talking about supporting “clean He’s not done yet. So far, the fight against coal communities has coal” and the “all-of-the-above” energy portfolio that his Natural largely been carried out by the EPA. No longer. Not to be outdone by its Resource Defence Council (NRDC) appointees were reluctantly support- sister agency, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has now joined the ing. It was too soon in his presidency to start making enemies. coal killing frenzy. First, it released the Office of Surface Mining’s Stream Later, impatient with this piecemeal approach, this death by a Protection Rule, a 2,200-page behemoth that would keep more than 60% thousand cuts, the White House reached for heavier weapons against of the nation’s coal reserves in the ground and, according to one study, coal, taking the leash off the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) more than 100,000 unemployed. Then came DOI’s attack on the federal and its NRDC handlers and sticking coal power plants with a mercury coal leasing program with the announcement of a three-year moratorium and air toxics rule that will end up shutting down about 20% of the on coal leases (spoiler alert: read “permanent” moratorium). coal fleet. Lord Nelson didn’t have that much success at Trafalgar. The With this latest anti-coal gambit, the White House no longer pre- damage wasn’t from the mercury standard itself, but from the air toxi- tends to conceal its ambition. The president used his State of the cs limits that were hastily added to the rule in the 12th hour, despite the Union message to boldly announce his intention to smother the fed- absence of any discernable benefit from them. eral coal program under contrived new restrictions. No matter that The mercury rule was followed by the New Source Performance the DOI’s own reports show PRB mining operations are free of off- Standards for power plants. Recall these were technology standards site environmental impacts and deliver to taxpayers — in royalties, for new construction that set CO2 emissions so low for coal combus- bonus bids and taxes — 39 cents of every dollar earned. So accept- tion they ruled out the use of any low-emissions technology, but care- ed is this two-front assault on coal that few even blinked when the fully protected combined cycle gas. By this time, the White House had administration quietly withdrew its support for FutureGen 2.0, the dropped any mention of coal from the comprehensive list of energy carbon capture demonstration plant in the president’s home state. sources it pledged to support. With new coal plants out of the way, it Instead of showing the world how technological innovation can make remained to destroy existing ones remaining from the mercury rule. affordable fossil energy cleaner and its jobs safer, the president Meet the Clean Power Plan (CPP), the president’s gift to the global chose to show how he can test the limits of executive authority to environmental industry gathering at the United Nations Climate eliminate both coal and coal miners. Conference in Paris. With the connivance of the states, the adminis- With less than a year left to his presidency, the gloves are off, the tration hopes the CPP will finish off what the mercury rule started. mask has fallen. By this time, the administration’s “war on coal” was bigger than Luke Popovich is a spokesperson for the National Mining its war on terror — and arguably more effective. Coal has been Association, the industry’s trade group based in Washington, D.C.

12 www.coalage.com February 2016 EXPLORE THE WORLD OF

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MINExpo® is a selected participant in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Buyer Program (IBP). Through the IBP, www.facebook.com/minexpo U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world will promote and recruit buyer delegations to the event. If you are interested in @minexpo2016 joining a U.S. Embassy led delegation, please contact the location nearest you (http://www.export.gov/worldwide_us/index.asp). The CS logo is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Commerce, used with permission. news continued recent years to buy out other producers, Solar officials figura- project was set to keep the operation producing through 2022, tively and literally kept their heads down and did what they do perhaps longer. best — mine coal as inexpensively as possible. Spring Creek, a thermal surface complex located near They plan to continue to do that in 2016. Now, though, as Decker, extracts from the 80-ft-thick Anderson-Dietz seam. It Bowman acknowledged, they also are “looking for opportuni- shipped about 17.4 million tons in 2014. ties,” most likely distressed assets Solar could snap up at a frac- tion of their original value and profitably incorporate into its Peabody Sells Interest in Prairie State Energy Campus portfolio. Citing its plan to divest noncore assets and reshape its portfolio, Peabody Energy announced late January 21 that it is selling its Judge Orders New Review of Cloud Peak’s Spring Creek 5.06% interest in the Prairie State Energy Campus (PSEC) in A federal judge in Montana is ordering the government to look Illinois to the Wabash Valley Power Association in a $57 million again at a proposal by Cloud Peak Energy (CPE) to expand its deal. Spring Creek operation in Montana by 117 million tons follow- The St. Louis producer and the Indiana-based generation ing a suit by environmentalists claiming it would be environ- and transmission cooperative have inked a definitive agree- mentally detrimental. ment on the deal for the 1,600-megawatt (MW) plant and asso- U.S. District Judge Susan Watters in Billings said in a ruling ciated coal mine, which is located in Washington, St. Clair and handed down January 22 that the Department of Interior (DOI) Randolph counties in the southwestern region of the state. now has nine months to re-examine CPE’s permit, reportedly The transaction is subject to closing adjustments, but is saying that it “failed to take a hard look” at the expansion ini- expected to close sometime in the second quarter. tially, according to the Associated Press. She also said that the Peabody first announced in the fourth quarter of last year that it agency violated public notice provisions in its handling of the would divest noncore assets via a competitive bidding process. mine’s application. Since the second quarter of 2015, and including the PSEC Judge Watters’ decision parallels previous recommenda- transaction, Peabody said that it has collected total proceeds of tions of U.S. Magistrate Carolyn Ostby, who was tasked with $500 million from its asset sales. That includes the $358 million reviewing the case against CPE filed last year by environmen- sale of its El Segundo surface mine in New Mexico and the talists including WildEarth Guardians. The groups’ complaint, Twentymile longwall complex in Colorado for $358 million in based on claims of contributions to climate change, also cash, a deal which is still awaiting final closing details. includes 10 other mines in a total of five U.S. states. It also includes $70 million in “ongoing resource manage- However, despite recommendations of a six-month exten- ment activities,” it said, tied to sales of reserves and surplus sion by Ostby, Watters has offered more time for the DOI’s land. Its Wilkie Creek sale in Queensland, Australia, has been review after department officials said it would need it to com- delayed due to buyer financing. plete the work. At the same time, she has ordered monthly “Peabody continues to evaluate its portfolio to target the progress reports, The Missoulian reported. best market base, with a filter that includes strategic fit, value Should the Spring Creek expansion be canceled, CPE has consideration, growth and cash requirements as the company already said that most of its 275 workers would be laid off. The turns greater focus on its core mining assets in the Powder River Basin, Illinois Basin and Australia,” officials said. Prairie State is one of the cleanest coal-fueled plants in the CALENDAR OF EVENTS nation.

March 21-22, 2016: 24th Annual Coal Properties and Investment Conference, Hyatt Longwall Idled at CONSOL’s Bailey complex Regency, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Contact: Platts. Email: [email protected]; Company officials have confirmed that no layoffs will come as Web: platts.com/coalproperties. a result of a decision to temporarily idle one of five longwalls at CONSOL Energy’s Bailey complex in southwestern March 21-24, 2016: National Western Mining Conference and Expo, Colorado Pennsylvania. Convention Center, Denver, Colorado. Contact: Web: www.coloradomining.org. Spokesman Brian Aiello said January 18 that 200 workers are April 11-17, 2016: bauma, Messe Munchen, Munich, Germany. Contact: impacted by the move, but that all will have the option to accept Web: www.bauma.de. other employment duties at the complex, located in Greene and Washington counties. April 25-27, 2016: Coal Prep 2016, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Kentucky. “The Bailey complex tons are 93% contracted for 2016, so Contact: Web: www.coalprepshow.com. this is a temporary measure due to the warm winter so far,” May 1-4, 2016: Canadian Institute of Mining, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Aiello said. “[It is] designed to optimize our operating schedule, Contact: Web: www.cim.org. better sync up customer delivery schedules with inventories and operate more efficiently.” September 26-28, 2016: MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2016, Las Vegas Convention CONSOL has not elaborated on a timeline for restart. Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. Contact: Web: www.minexpo.com. The Bailey complex is under the umbrella of CONSOL’s October 10-12, 2016: Coal Handling & Storage, Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, Pennsylvania Operations arm. Combined, the three neighbor- ing sites — Bailey, Harvey and Enlow Fork — produced 22.8 mil- St. Louis, Missouri. Contact: Tim Fearney, [email protected]. lion tons in 2015, according to company data.

14 www.coalage.com February 2016

news continued

Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania-based producer underground mine and Tom’s Fork preparation plant and load- announced the idling of its Twin Branch surface operation in out are expected to come over a two-week period beginning southern West Virginia, which resulted in 88 layoffs. That idle is March 11. Other operations within Panther Creek will continue as also temporary and due to the unseasonable weather trend. normal. According to local news station WSAZ, the producer also has Alabama Mine to Close, 170 Workers Cut reportedly issued notices to another 80 employees at the Hamden Alabama operator Jesse Creek Mining has announced the clo- Coal complex, specifically the No. 2 underground mine and the sure of its operation near Montevallo, Shelby County, and the Hamden prep facility in Logan and Mingo counties. furlough of about 170 employees, citing an “increasingly diffi- Kentucky-based Blackhawk has cited market conditions for cult coal market.” the decision. The mine was one the company purchased in The company, based in Alabaster, said recently that Worker 2015 from an asset auction of bankrupt Patriot Coal, which Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act letters filed for Chapter 11 protection last May. have already been issued. “Predominantly, pricing in the last month or so is what made Westmoreland Cutting 95 Workers in North Dakota the market so difficult,” CFO Tony Bogolin said, adding that it is Westmoreland Coal subsidiary Dakota Westmoreland is assisting those impacted by the closure with job search resources. reportedly cutting nearly 100 workers from its payroll begin- Jesse Creek CEO Scott Spears concurred, noting that the ning in March due to the loss of one of its power generation company is committed to minimizing the impact of the deci- customers. According to the Bismarck Tribune, Westmoreland sion for all involved. issued a notice to the city of Beulah that the cuts will com- “We intend to do all that we can to assist the employees with mence in early March and should be completed by the end of their transition and to provide outplacement services.” April. Citing Dakota Westmoreland President Jody Mann, the Neither indicated if the closure is permanent, or if a mainte- layoffs will be phased: 10 workers on March 10, 46 on March 18 nance crew will remain on-site. and the final 39 on April 30. “We sincerely regret this layoff has According to federal data, just one Jesse Creek facility, the become necessary,” he added. Piney Woods preparation plant, is currently active. The mine’s power customer, the nearby Coyote Station power plant, will begin to take its coal supply from new North Blackhawk Mining Cuts 146 Workers American Coal complex Coyote Creek Mining in May. Coyote Blackhawk Mining’s Panther Creek Mining has issued Creek, owned in part by Otter Tail Power and MDU, is located Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act let- just southwest of the Dakota Westmoreland complex. ters to nearly 150 miners at its Panther Creek complex in Kanawha Dakota Westmoreland, which had a workforce of 145 at its County, West Virginia, ahead of its plan to idle operations. peak, will keep 40 miners on staff to mine the remaining coal The notices were given to the impacted workers on January — about 500,000 tons annually — that it is contracted to deliv- 11; all terminations from the total closure of the Winchester er to the MDU-Heskett Station through 2021.

% 2016 AWARDS

Leer, Holden 22 Top Winners in West Virginia Safety Reclamation Award. The Phoenix No. 4 surface mine claimed the year’s Arch Coal’s Tygart Valley Leer complex and Phoenix Coal-Mac’s Holden Good Neighbor Award for its work with local communities. No. 22 surface mine have taken home the annual Eustace E. Frederick Eleven other companies also were recognized for their environmental Milestones of Safety Award and the Barton B. Lay Jr. Award, respectively, commitments. from the West Virginia Coal Association (WVCA) for outstanding work- WVCA officials applauded the companies’ efforts at two luncheons place safety performances in 2015. held during the conference, which convened at the Charleston Civic Center. The operations, along with 36 other mines and service companies, “Our member companies strive each day to provide their employees received their honors at the 43rd annual West Virginia Mining Symposium with the safest possibly workplace,” association senior vice president held in Charleston on January 24-25. Chris Hamilton said of the safety award winners. Tops in the independent contractor category were Carter Machinery “They have set a standard with their focus on reducing workplace and Walker Machinery. injuries and getting everyone home at the end of their shifts. We applaud The Mountaineer Guardian Awards are presented every year to min- their hard work and dedication to this, our most important responsibility.” ing companies demonstrating a commitment to safety standards. They Association president Bill Raney also congratulated those who had are chosen by nominations made by West Virginia Office of Mine Health earned award for responsible reclamation. Safety and Training inspectors. “Each of these companies goes far beyond what is required to restore Also at the symposium, Wolf Run Mining in Barbour County earned former mine lands,” he said. “We always say coal miners are the real the Greenlands Award for outstanding reclamation, along with Coal- environmentalists. They don’t just talk about doing something…they go Mac’s Phoenix No. 1 surface mine, which was bestowed the Forestry out and do it. They do it because this is their home.”

16 www.coalage.com February 2016 u.s. longwall census

U.S. Longwall Operators Scale Back Production

Ownership changes hands as new longwall operators emerge

BY STEVE FISCOR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The coal business finished weak in 2015 and its off to a slow start in 2016, and the Table 1—Longwall Installations by Parent Company (2015-2016) information contained in Coal Age’s annu- al U.S. Longwall Census reflects a market Company Ala. Colo. Ill. Mont. N.M. Ohio Pa. Utah Va. W.Va. Wyo. Total in turmoil. Alliance Resource Partners 1 2 3 Similar to overall U.S. coal production, AmCoal (MEC) 2 2 total longwall production saw a double digit American Energy (MEC) 1 1 decrease. Collectively, U.S. longwall instal- Arch Coal 1 2 3 lations produced nearly 182 million tons in Blue Mountain Energy 1 1 2015, a 12.3% decrease over 2014. The four Bowie Resource Partners 2 2 4 top-producing longwall complexes operate Coal Acquisition, Inc. 3 3 two faces each, and three of them produced more than 10 million tons. Last year, 17 CONSOL Energy 5 1 6 longwall installations produced at a capaci- Drummond 1 1 ty of 5 million tons per year (tpy) or more, ERP Compliant Fuels 2 2 compared to 20 in 2014. Foresight Energy (MEC) 4 4 This year, one longwall face was Murray American Energy (MEC) 6 6 removed and the ownership of 15 faces Ohio Valley Coal (MEC) 1 1 changed hands. Alpha Natural Resources Pacific Minerals 11 is no longer operating a longwall face at Seneca Coal Resources (ERP) 1 1 2 the Emerald mine in Pennsylvania and it Signal Peak Energy 1 1 was removed. Year-on-year, the total Solvay Chemicals 1 1 number of longwall mines dropped to 40 Tronox Alkali Co. 11 from 41. Similarly, the number of longwall faces dropped to 45 from 46. Five mines UtahAmerican Energy (MEC) 1 1 operate two longwall faces. Westmoreland Coal 1 1 Total 54711 2 5 3 1 13 3 45 Change Is the Only Constant Last year, Murray Energy Corp. (MEC) sup- reserve life. The group is now operating the estation carbon credits with coal sales to planted CONSOL Energy as America’s long- Lila Canyon longwall mine in Utah. reduce the rate of growth in atmospheric car- wall leader from a production standpoint. Two of three Foresight Energy longwall bon dioxide. Their goal is to rebalance the Foresight Energy’s Sugar Camp mine and mines in Illinois (Sugar Camp and Mach domestic supply through the purchase, MEC’s Marshall County mine posted total Mining) resumed production in early 2016 reclamation and retirement of 135 mining production figures of more than 10.5 mil- following a lengthy Christmas holiday permits in five states. lion tons and nearly 10.3 million tons, break. The company’s Deer Run longwall In December, Cliffs Natural Resources respectively. The new Nos. 1 and 2 longwall mine remains idled indefinitely, however, agreed to sell its two longwall mines, the mines displaced CONSOL Energy’s Bailey because of a stubborn carbon monoxide Pinnacle mine in West Virginia and Oak and Enlow Fork mines, which have held problem that has dogged the mine since Grove mine Alabama, to Seneca Coal, an those positions since 1992. March 2015. While MEC’s acquisition of the affiliate of ERP Compliant Fuels. At the time, Two years ago, MEC eclipsed CONSOL Foresight Energy mines was a big deal, it the company said Seneca planned to pro- Energy on an ownership basis when the wasn’t the only deal in 2015. duce 4.4 million tons of metallurgical coal in company purchased six of its West Virginia ERP Compliant Fuels has emerged as a 2016 and employ 811 people in West longwalls. In 2015, MEC purchased a con- new U.S. longwall operator. The company, Virginia and Alabama. trolling interest in Foresight Energy, adding which is affiliated with the Virginia Now ERP operates a total of three long- four more longwalls to its portfolio and Conservation Legacy Foundation (VCLF), wall mines in West Virginia. The company’s bringing its total to 14 longwalls. Despite acquired the American Eagle and the Federal Pinnacle mine is the only plow face operat- some payroll reductions, much of MEC is No. 2 longwall mines in West Virginia from ing in the U.S. operating as it has been. UtahAmerican Patriot Coal through a bankruptcy sale at the As this edition was going to press, Walter Energy’s West Ridge mine ceased opera- end of October. ERP is actively marketing the Energy announced it was selling its long- tions in 2015 as it had reached the end of its sale of compliant fuel, which bundles refor- wall operations to Coal Acquisition, Inc., as

18 www.coalage.com February 2016 u.s. longwall census continued part of a bankruptcy plan of reorganization. 4.5 million tpy, compared to 4.4 million arm shearer, they take a 39.7-in. cut. The Walter Energy, formerly Jim Walter tpy in 2014. On average, it has a cutting average yield setting on the shield is 1,024 Resources, operated the Blue Creek long- height of 91.6 in., a panel width (or face tons. All of the faces except for five are wall mines in Alabama. They produce met- length) of 1,215 ft, and a panel length of high voltage (4,160 volts). allurgical coal from some of the deepest 11,935 ft. Last year, those numbers were As far as extremes, the deepest longwall and gassiest mines. Similar to Patriot, 91.4 in., 1,228 ft and 12,117 ft, respectively. mine is CONSOL Energy’s Buchanan mine Walter Energy and its U.S. subsidiaries had Thirteen longwall faces have face lengths in Virginia, operating at a depth of 2,000 ft. filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. of 1,500 ft or greater. A total of 16 longwalls The Powhatan No. 6 mine in Ohio operates Bankruptcy Code. operate in the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam. The the longest face: 1,548 ft. At 22,500 ft, Signal Bowie Resource Partners purchased the maximum overburden on average reaches Peak Energy’s Bull Mountains mine in Twentymile longwall complex in Colorado 1,089 ft. Except for a few mines in Utah, Montana has the longest panel. The West from Peabody Energy. Although the most are developed with three entry gates. Elk mine in Colorado and the SUFCO mine Twentymile mine only produced 4.1 million Using a 1,828-hp double-drum, ranging- in Utah are operating 2,805-hp shearers. tons in 2015, it is capable of producing 8 million tpy or more. Bowie now operates Table 2—Longwall Coal Production (2014-2015) two longwall mines in Colorado and three longwall mines in Utah. In September 2015, Prod. Prod. % the company said it would be scaling back U.S. Longwall Mines 2015 2014 Change production at its Bowie No. 2 mine near Foresight Energy Sugar Camp 10,587,790 9,097,628 16.4 Paonia, Colorado, as a result of idling its Murray American Energy Marshall County 10,294,865 10,378,940 -0.8 longwall while it develops a new longwall CONSOL Energy Bailey 10,185,898 12,324,680 -17.4 panel and continues to evaluate the market. CONSOL Energy Enlow Fork 8,999,294 10,556,826 -14.8 Bowie expects the new longwall panel to be Alpha Natural Resources Cumberland 7,490,061 7,388,082 1.4 fully developed by September 2016. Murray American Energy Harrison County 7,106,441 6,703,392 6.0 During the summer of 2015, Alliance Westmoreland Coal San Juan South 6,517,519 8,799,554 -25.9 Resource Partners gained complete opera- Murray American Energy Marion County 6,481,620 6,567,666 -1.3 Signal Peak Energy Bull Mountains 6,419,645 7,901,784 -18.8 tional and marketing control of Hamilton Murray American Energy Ohio County 6,081,768 6,584,921 -7.6 No. 1, formerly known as White Oak No. 1, Bowie Resource Partners Sufco No. 1 6,024,483 6,539,322 -7.9 from privately owned White Oak Resources. Alliance Resource Partners Tunnel Ridge 5,893,600 5,627,411 4.7 The mine near McLeansboro, Illinois, was Alliance Resource Partners Hamilton County No. 1 5,815,950 1,736,928 234.8 commissioned three years ago and quickly Foresight Energy Mach Mining 5,638,291 6,482,276 -13.0 ramped up to 5.8 million tons in 2015. This American Energy Corp. Century Mine 5,248,702 6,684,695 -21.5 gives Alliance three longwalls including the AmCoal New Future 5,163,506 5,744,296 -10.1 two in West Virginia: Tunnel Ridge and Arch Coal West Elk 5,074,821 6,192,656 -18.1 Mountain View. Ohio Valley Coal Powhatan No. 6 4,756,028 4,696,014 1.3 In May 2015, Westmoreland Coal Co. pur- Bowie Resource Partners Skyline 4,408,963 4,170,162 5.7 chased the San Juan mine in Farmington, CONSOL Energy Buchanan 4,353,037 4,041,701 7.7 New Mexico, from BHP Billiton and entered Bowie Resource Partners Twentymile 4,122,448 6,659,492 -38.1 into a new long-term coal supply agree- CONSOL Energy Harvey 3,604,973 3,170,608 13.7 ment with the owners of the San Juan Arch Coal Leer 3,383,885 2,822,295 19.9 Murray American Energy Monongalia County 3,283,522 4,579,784 -28.3 Generating Station. The San Juan mine is Pacific Minerals Bridger 3,090,175 3,369,731 -8.3 one of America’s leading longwall opera- AmCoal New Era 3,060,480 5,509,709 -44.5 tions. In 2014, it produced nearly 8.8 million Coal Acquisition, Inc. Blue Creek No. 7 3,035,681 5,226,007 -41.9 tons of coal from a single face. The mine has ERP Compliant Fuels Federal No. 2 2,441,623 2,866,980 -14.8 also developed new technology and imple- Coal Acquisition, Inc. Blue Creek No. 4 2,416,556 2,720,653 -11.2 mented ventilation techniques to remain Seneca Coal Resources Pinnacle No. 50 2,406,437 2,747,256 -12.4 competitive. Alliance Resource Partners Mountain View 2,108,354 1,920,877 9.8 In February 2015, Tronox Ltd. acquired Blue Mountain Energy Deserado 2,106,265 1,882,024 11.9 FMC’s Alkali Chemicals Division, which Drummond Co., Inc. Shoal Creek 2,043,184 1,803,117 13.3 included the Westvaco longwall mine. Seneca Coal Resources Oak Grove 1,982,503 2,331,168 -15.0 Westvaco mines trona (or soda ash), which Arch Coal Mountaineer II 1,923,968 1,972,772 -2.5 is a relatively soft rock that can be cut simi- Foresight Energy Deer Run 1,876,828 5,564,836 -66.3 lar to coal. ERP Compliant Fuels American Eagle 1,859,734 2,732,344 -31.9 Alpha Natural Resources Emerald No. 1 1,689,471 3,951,247 -57.2 By the Numbers UtahAmerican Energy West Ridge 1,579,642 2,513,571 -37.2 Bowie Resource Partners Bowie No. 2 1,023,031 2,407,598 -57.5 With 13 faces, West Virginia remains the longwall leader, followed by Illinois (7), Total U.S. Longwall Production 181,581,042 207,060,161 -12.3 Pennsylvania (6) and Alabama (5). Note: Production figures for 2014 included a little more than 2 million tons from the now-closed Deer Creek Looking at the numbers, the average U.S. mine in Utah. Source: Mine Safety and Health Administration. longwall mine operating in coal produces

February 2016 www.coalage.com 19 u.s. longwall census continued to face 2,300 4,160 4,160 2,300 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 Voltage MCI MCI Line Line Line Line Power Power Power Power Service Service Service Service Service Service Service Machine Machine Machine Machine Machine Machine Machine controls Electrical Electrical Electrical Electrical Intermountain Intermountain Intermountain Joy Joy Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat JWR JWR JWR AEMI AEMI Crusher Longwall Cat/AEMI Cat/AEMI Cat/AEMI Associates JWR JWR JWR AEMI AEMI Cat/AEMI Cat/AEMI Cat/AEMI Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar width, speed 1,388 mm, VFD 1,388 mm, VFD 1,388 mm, VFD 1,388 mm, VFD Stageloader type 988 mm, 350 fpm 1,220 mm, 410 fpm 1,388 mm, 464 fpm 1,300 mm, 420 fpm 1,300 mm, 420 fpm 1,300 mm, 420 fpm 1,350 mm, 480 fpm 1,424 mm, 385 fpm 1,588 mm, 520 fpm 1,300 mm, 475 fpm 1,300 mm, 475 fpm 1,300 mm, 420 fpm Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery 450 371 305 280 305 305 370 320 371 371 371 370 370 371 371 384 925/ 860/ 1,342/ 1,188/ 1,188/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ width (mm)/ speed (fpm) Face conveyor Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat type AEMI AEMI 38 TIB 2x900 34 TIB 2x600 JWR with CSTs JWR with CSTs 48 TIB 3x1,650 42 TIB 3x1,200 42 TIB 3x1,000 42 TIB 3x1,200 50 TIB 3x1,650 48 TIB 3x1,000 52 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x2,200 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x2,200 48 TIB 3x2,200 42 TIB 3x1,000 Face conveyor 48 TIB 3x 1,900 JWR with Jahnel (strand, motors) Longwall Associates Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery 42 TIB 2x1,250, 1x1,900 Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat 910 813 955 800 AEMI AEMI yield 1,271 1,300 1,243 1,300 1,320 1,327 1,200 1,200 1,053 1,087 1,200 1,200 (tons) Roof support AEMI AEMI 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2010 2010 2000 2000 2000 2,000 system Haulage Ultratrac Ultratrac Ultratrac Ultratrac Ultratrac Ultratrac Dynatrac Jumbotrac Jumbotrac Joy 7LS2 Joy 7LS5 Joy 7LS5 Joy 7LS2 Joy 7LS5 Total hp Shearer Joy 7LS2A Jumbotrac Joy 7LS2A Jumbotrac Joy 7LS2A Jumbotrac Joy 7LS1D Joy 7LS1D Joy 7LS1D DDR 2,805 DDR 1,371 DDR 1,218 DDR 1,625 DDR 1,625 DDR 1,930 DDR 1,813 DDR 2,091 DDR 2,360 DDR 2,360 DDR 2,054 DDR 1,880 DDR 1,880 DDR 2,054 DDR 2,054 Joy 7LS-1D DDR 1,625 Joy 7LS-1D Joy 7LS-1D Cat EL3000 Jumbotrac Eickhoff SL750 Ultratrac 42 30 36 36 36 36 42 42 42 42 34 34 42 42 42 39.4 of cut Depth 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 gate No. of entries (inches) (ft) 900 600 500 580 575 785 900 900 400- 600- 1,200 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,700 1,000 1,650 1,150 Over- 1,400- 1,100- burden (ft) 8,000 7,000 7,300 Panel 4,000- 4,000- 7,000- length 11,000 12,000- 10,250- 15,000- 800 845 1,080 16,000 1,115 13,000 1,060 1,040 13,000 1,400 14,500 1,000 15,000 1,000 11,000 1,400 16,000 1,400 19,000 1,350 14,200 1,480 1,088 12,300 1,400 19,000 1,400 19,500 85 69 80 84 96 84 80 80 74 84 84 84- 96- 74- 70- 70- 74- 74- 156 132 132 108 132 108- height width Cutting Panel (inches) (ft) 45 53 53 76 96 72 80 80 55 72 72 84- 84- 50- 84- 70- 70- 216 168 240 108 144- Seam height (inches) E B No. 6 No. 6 No. 6 No. 6 No. 6 No. 6 Herrin Herrin Herrin Herrin Herrin Herrin Seam Mary Lee/ Blue Creek 132 Blue Creek/ Coal Acquisition, Inc. Mary Lee Coal Acquisition, Inc. Mary Lee ALABAMA (5) Blue Creek No. 4 Hamilton County Coal No. 1 Herrin Alliance Resource Partners No. 6 Coal Acquisition, Inc. Mary Lee Shoal Creek Drummond Co. Inc. Blue Creek No. 7 West Blue Creek/ Blue Creek No. 7 East Blue Creek/ Oak Grove Seneca Coal Resources Blue Creek Bowie Resource Partners B Deserado Blue Mountain Energy COLORADO (4) Bowie Mine No. 2 Twentymile Bowie Resource Partners Wadge Arch Coal West Elk ILLINOIS (7) Deer Run Foresight Energy Foresight Energy Mach Mining New Era American Coal New Future American Coal Sugar Camp A Foresight Energy Foresight Energy Sugar Camp B Company (parent) Mine

20 www.coalage.com February 2016 u.s. longwall census continued to face 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 2,360 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 Voltage MCI MCI Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Power Power Power Power Power Power Power Power Service Service Service Service controls Machine Machine Machine Machine Electrical Joy Joy Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat MEC AEMI AEMI Crusher MEC MEC AEMI Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar width, speed Stageloader type 1,388 mm, 464 fpm 1,300 mm, 475 fpm 1,388 mm, 420 fpm 1,300 mm, 475 fpm 1,024 mm, 320 fpm 1,350 mm, 500 fpm 1,342 mm, 450 fpm 1,388 mm, 464 fpm 1,294 mm, 485 fpm 1,188 mm, 528 fpm 1,188 mm, 528 fpm 1,188 mm, 525 fpm 1,188 mm, 528 fpm 1,188 mm, 525 fpm Longwall Associates Joy Mining Machinery 376 370 371 370 263 350 340 374 357 378 378 371 378 371 988/ 988/ 988/ 988/ 988/ 988/ 890/ 1,100/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,088/ 1,342/ 1,042/ speed (fpm) width (mm)/ Face conveyor Cat Cat Cat Cat type AEMI AEMI AEMI Cat/ PF6 Cat/ PF6 Cat/ PF6 Cat/ PF6 42 TIB 3x800 Face conveyor 48 TIB 3x1,650 42 TIB 3x1,650 48 TIB 3x1,900 42 TIB 2x1,000 50 TIB 3x1,150 42 TIB 2x1,200 48 TIB 3x1,650 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x 1,900 (strand, motors) Joy Mining Machinery Joy/Longwall Associates Cat/Longwall Associates Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat 700 700 800 969 893 969 yield MEC MEC (tons) 1,130 1,096 1,160 1,007 1,271 1,024 1,005 1,005 Roof support AEMI AEMI AEMI 2000 2010 2000 2010 2010 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 system Haulage Ultratrac Jumbotrac Jumbotrac Total hp Shearer Joy 7LS5 Joy 7LS5 Joy 7LS2 Joy 7LS2 Joy 7LS2A Super GearRack Joy 7LS1A Joy 7LS1A Joy 7LS2A Jumbo Track Joy 7LS2A Jumbo Track Joy 7LS2A Jumbo Track Joy 7LS2A Jumbo Track Joy 7LS1D Super GearRack DDR 2,360 DDR 1,813 DDR 1,666 DDR 1,813 DDR 1,371 DDR 2,805 DDR 2,092 DDR 1,666 DDR 1,290 DDR 1,666 DDR 1,850 DDR 1,666 DDR 1,666 DDR 1,666 Cat EL2000 Jumbotrac Eickhoff-300SL Jumbo Track 42 32 42 34 32 42 39 36 42 42 42 42 42 42 of cut Depth 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 4 3 3 3 3 3 gate No. of entries (inches) (ft) 850 600 300 900 400- 400- 400- 400- 400- 400- 600- 200- 800- 800- 500- Over- 1,200 1,000 1,800 1,600 2,000 1,000 1,400 1,000 1,400 1,000 1,400- burden (ft) Panel 8,500 5,000 4,000 6,000 length 6,800- 2,400- 11,500 530 850 700 1,250 22,500 1,548 1,500 12,000 1,580 12,000 1,110 1,000 12,500 1,500 12,000 1,500 12,000 1,500 12,000 1,500 15,000 1,500 12,000 72 72 84 70 89 90 88 90 88 68- 78- 96- 96- 156 120 156 156 144 120- height width Cutting Panel (inches) (ft) 62 61 84 72 76 72 72 72 72 84- 84- 216 200 102- 144- Seam height (inches) No. 8 No. 8 No. 8 No. 8 No. 8 No. 3 No. 8 No. 8 No. 8 Seam Lower Upper Fruitland 136- Mammoth 204 Pittsburgh 62- Pittsburgh 62- Pittsburgh 60- Pittsburgh 56- Pittsburgh 62- Pittsburgh 62- Pittsburgh 62- Pittsburgh 78- Pocahontas 60- Mine Company (parent) Powhatan No. 6 PENNSYLVANIA (6) Bailey - Dry Ridge CONSOL Energy Ohio Valley Coal Bailey - Crabapple OHIO (2) Century Mine American Energy CONSOL Energy NEW MEXICO (1) San Juan South BHP Billiton Signal Peak Energy MONTANA (1) Bull Mountains Enlow Fork - Fside CONSOL Energy Harvey CONSOL Energy Enlow Fork - Eside Alpha Natural Resources No. 8 CONSOL Energy Lila Canyon CONSOL Energy Cumberland VIRGINIA (1) Buchanan UtahAmerican Energy Sunnyside 156 Bowie Resource Partners Hiawatha Skyline Bowie Resource Partners O'Connor A 200 UTAH (3) SUFCO No. 1

February 2016 www.coalage.com 21 u.s. longwall census continued to face 4,160 2,300 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 2,300 4,160 4,160 4,160 2,300 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 4,160 Voltage MCI Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Power Power Power Power Power Power Power Power Service Service Service Service Service Service Service controls Machine Machine Machine Machine Machine Machine Machine Electrical Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Cat Cat Cat AEMI AEMI AEMI Crusher Longwall Cat/AEMI Cat/AEMI Cat/AEMI Associates Cat AEMI AEMI Cat/AEMI Cat/AEMI Cat/AEMI Caterpillar Caterpillar Caterpillar width, speed Stageloader type 1,388 mm, 350 fpm 1,220 mm, 415 fpm 1,200 mm, 525 fpm 1,294 mm, 385 fpm 1,388 mm, 477 fpm 1,294 mm, 443 fpm 1,388 mm, 423 fpm 1,188 mm, 466 fpm 1,294 mm, 443 fpm 1,200 mm, 455 fpm 1,300 mm, 525 fpm 1,200 mm, 525 fpm 1,200 mm, 312 fpm 1,200 mm, 525 fpm 1,300 mm, 475 fpm 1,200 mm, 550 fpm Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery 320 270 365 268 330 337 357 366 340 337 365 365 229 365 370 350 988/ 890/ 988/ 988/ 950/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,100/ 1,000/ 1,100/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ 1,000/ speed (fpm) width (mm)/ Face conveyor Joy Cat type AEMI AEMI AEMI 42 TIB 3x700 38 TIB 2x700 34 TIB 2x650 34 TIB 2x800 38 TIB 2x700 LW Associates LW Associates 48 TIB 3x1900 Face conveyor LW Assoiciates 48 TIB 3x1,200 48 TIB 3x1,900 42 TIB 2x1,072 42 TIB 3x1,000 42 TIB 3x1,073 42 TIB 3x1,000 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x1,900 48 TIB 3x1,000 (strand, motors) Joy/LW Associates Cat/LW Associates Longwall Associates Longwall Associates Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Mining Machinery Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Joy Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat 862 870 800 715 862 865 893 890 815 840 yield (tons) 1,271 1,005 1,040 1,170 1,040 FAMUR JSST-1,020 Roof support Tunnel Ridge AEMI AEMI AEMI 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2010 2010 2000 2010 Chain system Haulage Ultratrac Ultratrac Ultratrac Ultratrac Ultratrac Ultratrac Total hp Shearer Joy 7LS5 Joy 7LS5 Super GearRack Joy 7LS2 Joy 7LS1A Joy 7LS2A Jumbo GearRack Joy 7LS1A Joy 7SL1A Jumbo Track Joy 7LS2A Joy 7LS1A Joy 7LS1A Joy 7LS1A Joy 7LS1D Super GearRack Joy 7LS1D Jumbo GearRack Joy 7LS1D Joy 7LS1D DDR 1,625 DDR 1,330 DDR 1,880 Indirect Drive DDR 2,360 DDR 1,625 DDR 2,360 DDR 1,232 Jumbotrac DDR 1,625 DDR 1,880 DDR 1,853 DDR 1,855 Indirect Drive DDR 1,880 DDR 1,880 DDR 1,330 DDR 1,880 Plow 1,080 Cat GH 1600 7 42 36 42 38 42 34 36 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 of cut Depth 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 gate No. of entries (inches) (ft) 900 750 700 400 800 600- 750- 500- 320- 800- 500- 300- 500- 500- 600- 800- 600- Over- 1,000 1,400 1,500 1,500 1,300 1,300 1,100 1,250 1,100 1,100 1,150 burden (ft) Panel 8,500 9,400 9,000 5,000 9,000 9,000 5,000 8,000 length 5,000- 3,100- 6,000- 10,000 750 505 600 850 1,020 16,200 1,050 1,540 13,900 1,200 1,000 1,502 10,900 1,000 1,000 1,540 13,900 1,500 12,600 1,500 12,600 1,100 11,800 Legend: DDR 2,000 means double-drum ranging arm shearer with hp installed. Cutting machines reported are all type unless otherwise indicated. 64 88 87 84 72 90 94 50 84 82 72- 96- 68- 86- 95- 95- 48- 78- 132 130 120 100 100 108 108- height width Cutting Panel (inches) (ft) 50 96 92 96 98 72 90 50 72 72 80 54- 96- 96- 96- 78- 132 130 144 108 Seam height (inches) 17 17 Bed Bed D41 No. 8 Eagle Seam Lower Upper Alma & VFD—variable frequency drive; SS—single strand; TIB—twin strand inboard; 42 TIB 2 x 1,000 means 42-mm chain, twin inboar d, two 1,000-hp motors. *Note: AEMI=American Equipment and Machine Inc. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Kittanning Pittsburgh Pittsburgh 62- Pittsburgh 86- Pittsburgh 65- Pittsburgh 65- Pittsburgh Pocahontas 48- Cedar Grove 84 Mine Company (parent) WEST VIRGINIA (13) American Eagle ERP Compliant Fuels Federal No. 2 ERP Compliant Fuels Harrison County Murray American Energy No. 8 Leer Arch Coal Tromox Alkali Co. Marion County Westvaco Murray American Energy No. 8 Green River Solvay Chemicals WYOMING (3) Bridger Tunnel Ridge Alliance Resource Partners No. 8 Ohio County Murray American Energy No. 8 Pacific Minerals Mount Laurel Arch Coal Pinnacle No. 50 Seneca Coal Resources No. 3 Marshall County A Murray American Energy No. 8 Marshall County B Murray American Energy No. 8 Alliance Resource Partners Freeport Monogalia County Murray American Energy No. 8 Mountain View

22 www.coalage.com February 2016 bauma preview

Munich Prepares for bauma 2016 The world’s largest trade show offers something for everyone, including professionals in mining and mineral processing

BY STEVE FISCOR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

More than 535,000 turned out for bauma 2013. The event, billed as the largest machinery trade show, takes place again in April.

With a total exhibition space of 605,000 m2, has established the Charity Alliance to example, companies can seek out new bauma is the largest trade show in the coincide with the forthcoming event. The industries or fields of application for their world. The event takes place every three network intends to promote dialog existing products and services, and/or find years in Munich. In 2013, bauma broke all between members on the implementation appropriate technological solutions to meet previous records, attracting a total of 3,421 of social projects and to attract additional specific challenges they are facing. exhibitors from 57 countries, and more than interested parties to become actively By trade show standards, bauma is huge 535,000 visitors from more than 200 coun- involved. Applications are restricted to and it’s important. It’s mostly a construc- tries. From April 11-17, 2016, Messe companies exhibiting at bauma 2016, who tion event, but many European mining sup- München, the group that organizes bauma, are carrying on projects in the fields of pliers will be on hand and several of them is expecting another record turnout. education, nutrition, health, social inte- are exhibiting new products and services. Prior to the event, Messe München will gration or the environment and that bring With this bauma Preview 2016, Coal Age present five companies with its highly cov- about a lasting improvement in the living offers a glimpse of what readers can expect eted Innovation Award. For 2016, the orga- conditions of people in need living in, or to see this spring in Munich. nizer is also experimenting with an hailing from, crisis areas, emerging or exercise in cross-pollination: the Open developing countries. Liebherr to Debut New Dozer Invitation. Also, they are starting a new Messe München is launching another and Excavator tradition of giving back with a Charity platform related to improving business, the Delegates do not need a map to find the Alliance. “Corporate societal and social “bauma Open Invitation.” The online plat- Liebherr Group at bauma. They simply look commitment is no contradiction,” said form allows bauma participants and other for the overhead cranes to get a bearing Klaus Dittrich, chairman and CEO of professionals interested in a particular sec- and then walk toward the 240-metric-ton Messe München GmbH. “On the contrary: tor to solve their innovation-related chal- (mt) haul truck. Liebherr will showcase its long-term success requires both factors to lenges by calling upon the expertise of extensive range of construction machines, go hand-in-hand. Many bauma exhibitors Messe München’s entire cross-disciplinary mobile and crawler cranes, material han- have long since taken this on board and network of contacts. The object is to get dling technology, mining, as well as com- are acting accordingly.” Inspired by the companies to engage on this platform in ponents, on a total display area of more “Pilosio Building Peace Award,” bauma applications or technology “scouting.” For than 14,000 m2. For miners, the highlights

24 www.coalage.com February 2016 bauma preview continued include a large crawler tractor, the compa- sure supply is not required when operating, ny’s first in the 70-mt category, and a newly this is automatically returned. developed 200-mt excavator. An engine management system com- The R 9200 excavator was built to bined with a power efficiency system and the complement Liebherr’s broad range of hydrostatic driveline allows the PR 776 to mining-class excavators. Equipped with maintain constant engine speed, increase a 12.5-m3 bucket, the company said it overall machine efficiency and reduce fuel offers sustainable performance while consumption. This differentiates Liebherr’s delivering peak fuel burn efficiency, even travel drive concept from other drive concepts in the most challenging conditions. The available on the market, where the engine excavator is a pass match for 140-mt haul speed fluctuates sharply during operation. trucks. The R 9200 is available in backhoe and Sizers for Crushing Coal face shovel configurations and is fitted For miners on the soft rock side of the busi- with the company’s advanced bucket and ness, thyssenkrupp will also display its The thyssenkrupp RollSizer DRS 660X3000 S. ground engaging tools (GET). The bucket RollSizer DRS 660X3000 S. Tailored to meet has been engineered to deliver superior the requirements of the coal industry, the unit wear plates. This maximizes the service life digging performance and high fill factors, is also capable of crushing medium-hard rock of the overall machine and minimizes according to Liebherr. It is powered by as well as sticky and soft material. The com- maintenance requirements. The crushing the Cummins QSK38 diesel engine that plete series has recently been standardized combs arranged laterally on the end walls has a rated output of 810 kW. The cut- and further models have been added. As a are available in various designs. Both the ting-edge cab of the R 9200 provides the result, the entire range of applications, from crushing combs and the end wall plating operator with a panoramic view of their primary to tertiary crushing of coal, can now are horizontally adjustable so that product operation. The R 9200 integrates an be handled by thyssenkrupp RollSizers. particle size can be precisely adjusted in advanced electronic piloting control sys- With a roll length of 3 m and shaft cen- line with requirements. tem, which is both intuitive and versatile. ter distance of 660 mm, the RollSizer DRS The DRS 660X3000 S operates with an Liebherr will also unveil the new PR776 660X3000 S is the second largest member extremely robust direct drive system con- crawler tractor, which is powered by a of the family of secondary and tertiary sisting of two spur gears with fluid cou- Liebherr 12-cylinder diesel engine develop- RollSizers from thyssenkrupp. The model plings. The couplings allow startup of the ing 565 kW (768 hp). The dozer has a maxi- is designed as a SideSizer. Its rolls rotate sizer even under the load of a full crushing mum operating weight of 74 mt and is outwards in opposite directions and chamber and at the same time provide equipped with blade capacities of 18 m3 crushing takes place between the rolls overload protection. In the presence of a (semi-U blade) or 22 m3 (U blade). and the end walls of the housing. This is foreign body, the slip of the fluid couplings The modern drive concept of the new key to the crusher's extremely high protects the machine against damage. The PR 776 offers extremely efficient and safe throughput rates, clearly defined final required drive torque is provided by two operation to customers. A new feature in product, and very compact design. powerful 250-kW electric motors. this machine class is the infinitely variable The unit is fitted with exchangeable To ensure maximum operating safety, all hydrostatic travel drive. Another advantage crusher segments made of wear-resistant thyssenkrupp RollSizers are fitted with sen- of the modern drive concept is the opti- steel which are durable and also quick and sors for monitoring the main machine mization of pressure flow. Hydraulic servo easy to replace. In addition, all sections of parameters such as drive speed, bearing pressure is based on-demand according to the housing that come into contact with the temperature and lubrication. the task. If, for example, the full feed of pres- material during crushing are lined with New Bucketwheel for Harder Formations For the open-pit mining side of the business, thyssekrupp will present a new generation of compact bucketwheel excavators (BWEs): the Barracuda and the Mine Shark. Both machines will be able to work in hard materi- als with compressive strengths up to 50 MPa. While BWEs today mostly work in soft and medium-hard rock with a compressive strength of up to 20 MPa, this machine has been designed to work in a broad range of materials including coal, limestone, phos- phate rock, potash, frozen materials in win- ter conditions as well as in its corresponding overburden layers. To fulfill the requirements of the severe working conditions, special bucket and tooth designs have been applied by The Liebherr PR 776 crawler tractor features a hydrostatic drive. thyssenkrupp. These designs are based on

February 2016 www.coalage.com 25 bauma preview continued innovative testing methods and include a technology from Evonik Industries save increased wear life as well as an larger number of teeth and buckets. more money than they cost. “A simple improved bucket performance in both This stage of development of BWE change of hydraulic fluid can help save construction as well as mining machin- demonstrates the changing character of the fuel, even — and particularly — in used ery. For rope shovels in particular, the extraction process from digging to cutting. construction machines,” said Rolf company has launched a new hammer- The combined extracting and loading Fianke, Dynavis technology aftermarket less lip locking system along with new process with a single machine eliminates the support manager at Evonik. As one who designs for teeth and adaptor systems, need for blasting as well as additional load- knows the sector well, Fianke has noticed developed specifically for mining appli- ing activities. The new BWEs are able to pro- increasing demand for technologies that cations. “We have proven that our sys- duce throughputs of more than 3,000 mtph. contribute significantly to increasing tems can work in mining,” García said. thyssenkrupp will have a model of the efficiency. Those who want to more fully “We are now building on that line in a Barracuda on display (Hall B2, Stand 203). exploit the potential of their machine, or way that adds new elements, which make their fleet, would find it well worth their the system more complete. We do not Beumer Conveyor Belts while to drop in at the Dynavis technolo- speak just about GET anymore, we offer The Beumer portfolio includes curved belt gy team’s exhibit (Hall A6, Stand 245). full bucket protection systems, and are conveyors for fast and cost-efficient trans- capable to find the best option, depend- port of large quantities of bulk material from GET Bucket Protection Solutions ing on the client’s bucket.” the mine to mill. Belt conveyors are able to A little more than seven years ago, MTG New locking systems for mining, the 3 navigate long distances, high angles of incli- was well-known in the European con- x 1 MTGTwist hammerless locking sys- nation and tight curve radii, and can be struction business for its GET, and start- tems, are easy to assemble and disassem- adapted individually to the belt or pipe con- ed its global expansion into the mining ble. ProMet mechanical shrouds protect veyor bulk handling solutions. Depending market. With this objective in mind, in the side of the dipper. The company on the customer's requirements, Beumer 2013, the company built a new large offers a range of weldable and bolt-on provides either troughed belt or pipe convey- foundry in Monzón, around 300 km west shrouds. Realizing that mining condi- or bulk handling solutions. Open troughed of Barcelona, Spain. The plant special- tions are site specific, the metallurgy can belt conveyors are recommended for larger izes in the production of large wear parts be engineered for more abrasive or less throughputs, higher mass flows and wider for large surface mining equipment, abrasive loading applications. “Similarly, curved radii. Closed pipe conveyors protect something very special in the wear parts the crowding action differs between both transported items from environmental market given the huge investment in shovels and loaders and MTG adds more influences and the environment from falling technology necessary to produce such wear protection in certain areas depend- items. Troughed belt conveyors can also be parts. Today, the company has protec- ing on the application,” García said. covered or encased to minimise dust forma- tion systems installed on loaders, exca- A new range of wing and blade tion during transport. This seal guarantees vators and rope shovels in Latin America, shrouds offer increased bucket protec- dust-free transport. South Africa, Australia and throughout tion and ensure improved performance North America. for large mining machinery. “The design Industrial Grade Filtration To stand out, José Luis García, market- of the blade shrouds has been specifical- Mahle (Hall A5, Stand 431) will display its ing manager for MTG, believes a company ly optimized to offer up to 30% more new e-protect filter elements as well as a needs to do focus on system performance, wear material than comparable sys- completely new generation of fluid filter quality and the cost efficiency for ground tems,” García said. The front of the MTG elements. The new products are distin- engaging tools (GET) as it relates to effi- shroud contains between 10% and 20% guished by an optimum cleaning perfor- ciency and hassle-free operations. more steel. The fitting system only mance and intelligent functions even under For bauma, MTG (Hall A6, Stand 437) requires welded base for each shroud, difficult ambient conditions. will display a wider range of its ProMet making installation easy and quick while The e-protect filter element prevents wing and blade shrouds, which offer reducing downtime. MTG is also offering damage in the filter layers caused by electro- static discharge. New zinc and ash-free hydraulic oils initiated this development. These fluids have very low conductivity that can increasingly lead to the electro-charging of the oil. This charge separation in fluid sys- tems has been a well-known phenomenon in high-performance filters for a long time. It is usually equalized through local discharge with high energy. Indicators of this range from audible crackling through to damage in the filter layers.

Additives Enhance Hydraulic Fluids The word is out — high-performance MTG’s foundry in Monzón, Spain, produces large wear parts for mining equipment. hydraulic fluids formulated with Dynavis

26 www.coalage.com February 2016 bauma preview continued a reversible 1-m-long wing shroud for mining-class loaders.

Off-Highway Equipment Research Global sales of construction equipment are forecast to grow 3.9% in unit terms in 2016, to 760,508 machines, according to Off- Highway Research. The expected improve- ment follows a weak performance in 2015, when global unit sales fell more than 10% from the total of nearly 818,000 machines sold in 2014. Off-Highway Research is a management consultancy specializing in the research and analysis of equipment markets, and is the largest of its kind in the world. The consul- tancy was formed in 1981 as part of The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and is A Wirtgen 4200 SM surface miner loads coal directly into haul trucks. now part of KHL Group, the world’s largest and most respected provider of international deposited as windrows between the crawler the slope of the layers, which are not always construction information. The group offers a tracks or sidecast. These three different pro- horizontal, one camera is attached on the left unique level of international research exper- cesses make for a high level of versatility in and the other on the right. These cameras tise. Off-Highway Research (Hall B5, Stand surface mining applications. transmit 1:1 photos of the surface to a double 227/B) will present updated forecasts for the With cutting widths of between 2.2 m and monitor in the cabin. The machine operator equipment sector across its Chinese, 4.2 m, it can cut to a depth of up to 83 cm and can accurately detect the transition from European and Indian subscription services, to an unconfined compressive strength of valuable mineral to interburden based on its Chinese, Indian and International 120 MPa. “Wirtgen is the only manufacturer the different colors and/or structures of the databases and the global Volume & Value that can offer a performance range of 100 tph two minerals and can then adjust the cutting service. to 3,000 tph with direct loading by conveyor depth, if required. Reduced dilution saves belt,” said Bernhard Schimm, product man- costs with downstream processes. Compact Cameras ager for Wirtgen’s mining division. The second innovation also maximizes The EMOS camera from Orlaco (Hall C4, Wirtgen offers three time-proven perfor- profits. This is because Wirtgen’s newly Stand 336) adds a new dimension to the digi- mance classes, which can be configured vari- developed cutting drum unit for the Surface tal camera world. It is a compact camera that ably to meet the needs of each project: the Miner 4200 SM has been specially designed can be used universally on all types of moni- 2200 SM/2200 SM 3.8, the 2500 SM and the for the windrowing method. Capable of out- tors. Simply connect the camera to a network 4200 SM. puts up to 15% higher than a standard cut- and a high-quality video stream appear with “Selective extraction not only improves ting drum unit, it will also reduce tool only a minor delay (less than 100 mps). the quality of the material mined, but per- consumption by up to 15%. These advance- EMOS is designed for use in the most mits as much as 95% of the deposits to be ments are the result of an optimized milling challenging situations and is fully shock and exploited. Only some 70% of deposits can be drum design. The essential feature here is the vibration-resistant. The super compact cam- exploited on average with the conventional increased tool spacing of 75 mm — this being era is the size of a matchbook and has a solid method. This offers companies considerable the horizontal distance between the tool cut- aluminum housing. The interior is fully pro- quality and cost benefits in material extrac- ting tracks. This boosts the cutting perfor- tected with potting compound that holds tion and subsequent processing,” Schimm mance so that more minerals can be everything in place. No risk of damage and said. deposited behind the Surface Miner in the system is fully waterproof (IP68) and Wirtgen has developed two innovations: windrows. resistant to high-pressure washing (IP69K). a camera system for rock interface detection Increased tool spacing also means The universal bracket allows users to mount and a cutting drum unit for the flagship that there are fewer cutters on the the camera in numerous positions on any Surface Miner 4200 SM that is set to sustain- cutting drum — and that means fewer tool type of vehicle. ably optimize the mining of mineral changes. The immediate effect: downtime is deposits. also reduced. Overall, the surface miner can Surface Mining Means Because the cutting depth can be adjust- mine more minerals over a longer period of Simple Mining ed and regulated precisely, even thin seams time than was possible to date working with Wirtgen’s Surface Miners (Hall FS, Stand of valuable mineral can be extracted precise- a standard cutting drum in windrow mode. 1010-1111) replace drilling, blasting, crush- ly along bedding planes. Offering a wide variety of cutting drum con- ing and loading with one single machine. With the new camera system, selective figurations, Wirtgen can deliver the most These machines cut and crush the rock with mining is now even more precise thanks to productive cutting drum unit for each appli- a special cutting drum and load it onto haul simple visualization of the rock interface. To cation and to match the composition of the trucks in a single pass via a slewable convey- this end, two cameras are mounted at the material to be mined, both for windrowing or system. Alternatively, the rock can be level of the cutting drum. To compensate for and for direct loading via a conveyor belt.

February 2016 www.coalage.com 27 mine ventilation

The Benefits of Degasification

When it comes to proper gas management and ventilation, a veteran industry expert answers the question: how wide is too wide for a longwall?

BY DONNA SCHMIDT, FIELD EDITOR

The Pittsburgh No. 8 seam: throughout history, one of the largest sources of domestic coal energy and also one of the worst regions for gas-related accidents. However, largely as a result of those events, it is also the heart of some of the world’s best degasification resources, technology and research. Much of that is being used domestically and internation- ally to keep mines safe and allow miners to continue to go home each day. “Coal is what we’ve got; we need to build on what we’ve got,” said Dr. Pramod Thakur, self-proclaimed father of coalbed methane degasification and four-decade industry veteran who is one of today’s top sources for everything tied to gas ventilation. An illustration of the area encompassing the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam and its associated gas levels. “[But] we need to degas mines, make sure mines are safe. You can’t put a price on somebody’s life.” Importance of Degasification deepest area of the seam, and as such, While the evolution of longwall mining There is no doubt that knowledge of gas, serve as home to a vast majority of these has brought great strides in efficiency, and in this case the removal of it, is valu- faces. production and safety, as technology able in many aspects. For mines, and long- Those deep seams bring with them high- has progressed, longwall panels across walls especially, production at these er levels of gas. As seen in the above map, the nation have increased in dimension highly profitable operations can increase the deepest area averages 6 billion ft3 per and are now wider than they’ve ever exponentially and, in turn, lower overall section (defined as a square mile, or 640 been. Panels that began at a modest 300 costs for the mine tremendously. Over acres). Even the areas of outcrop as the or 400 feet are now on average more time, that equates to millions of dollars for seam begins to fade, gas averages 2 billion than 1,500 ft wide , and the Pittsburgh a mining operation and, in turn, their par- cf per section. According to Thakur, total No. 8 seam is at the center of that growth ent company. Add in greater safety for the gas in place is 7 trillion ft3 across 6,000 with the nation’s largest concentration mine’s workers, and it is a perfect storm of square miles and 40 billion tons of coal. of longwall faces. another, more positive kind. “It (the region) is quite gassy,” he said. At the same time, the Pittsburgh No. 8 During June 2015, there were 47 active “Whenever the gas content goes up seam is also among the gassiest coal longwalls, more than a quarter of which beyond 120 ft3/ton, you must degas, other- regions, which has left a perfect storm of were owned by Murray Energy Corp. wise you are running a risk.” sorts for longwall operators seeking to (MEC); the Ohio-based miner itself pro- The primary impetus for longwall min- get the most from their mines. duces about 90 million tons annually. ers pushing for greater panel dimensions Coal gas’ go-to expert — the Pennsyl- CONSOL Energy, former owner of some of is an understandable one and one that is vania State University-educated Thakur those mines, had six remaining longwalls both cost- and safety-driven: it is simply developed many coal seam degasifica- in its portfolio at the time. Arch Coal, safer, more productive and less expensive tion techniques including in-mine hori- Walter Energy and a handful of other min- to have fewer longwall moves. There is zontal drilling, vertical gob wells and ers rounded out the ownership circle. also more complete recovery of in-situ massive hydraulic fracking of coal seams In terms of location, West Virginia has reserves with a super-wide longwall, and — feels that, in this age of super-wide 13, half of which are MEC longwalls. wider panels allow more time for gate longwalls, there is such a thing as an Pennsylvania, also core territory for the development. optimum face width, ventilation layout Pittsburgh No. 8, has eight of those shear- However, there are also several disad- and degasification plan. ers cutting panels. Both states contain the vantages to increasing panel dimensions,

28 www.coalage.com February 2016 mine ventilation continued such as the need for hidden geologic anomalies, some of which can decrease seam height, as well as maintain adequate ventilation air to the tailgate. Increased gob emissions and floor heaves are areas of concern as well. Premining degasifica- tions is needed, but with that comes a cap- Thakur's definitions of the varying levels of gassiness; the central core of the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam is ital expense. moderately gassy and its outer rim is mildly gassy. “My philosophy is all coal mines are gassy,” Thakur said. “If anyone tells you [their] seam’s not gassy, don’t believe it.” He defines the varying levels of gassi- ness as one of three categories: mildly gassy, with less than 100 ft3/ton of gas con- tent (less than 600 ft in depth); moderately gassy, with 100-300 ft3/ton of gas content (between 600-1,500 ft in depth); and high- ly gassy, with 300-700 ft3/ton of gas con- tent (1,500 to 3,000 ft in depth). The central core of the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam is moderately gassy and its outer rim is mildly gassy (see chart to the right). He noted that the mildly gassy mines, Mildly gassy mines do not need premining degasification, but gob wells are recommended on every panel. As the 3 those with 75-80 ft /ton, do not need pre- levels become moderate, such as in the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam’s deepest area, premining degas is needed in mining degasification, but gob wells are order to maintain optimum production and keep gob gas at bay. recommended on every panel. As the lev- els become moderate, such as those mines In mines with higher permeability, “The Pittsburgh No. 8 seam is very pecu- in the Pittsburgh seam’s deepest area, pre- where development can’t be done, devel- liar. You never think you will recover 100% mining degas is needed in order to main- opment boreholes are drilled to degas of gas; it will take 1,000 days, three years, tain optimum production and keep gob ahead of mining, followed by another to get 65% of this gas. If [a mine does] 50% gas at bay. drilled across. A typical panel, thus, may in a year and a half, they’re doing damn Highly gassy mines, including those in have eight or nine settings. In these good,” noting that most in-situ gas being the Alabama coalfield, are very difficult places, the boreholes will also increase in recovered with this goal can be drained to degas, but it has been done with suc- density as they will have more time to within six to 18 months. cess via vertical drilling and fracking ini- produce, he said. tially, followed by in-mine horizontal “This strategy has worked very well. We Post-mining Degasification drilling. [MEC] have recovered 50% of the gas,” an Premining is not the only concern as it “Each longwall panel [may be] 10,000 ft, ideal goal for the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam. relates to gas in this key region of coal 500 ft wide, and may have 20-40 gob wells,” he said of the region. Each costs about $300,000, and mines must make money to defray the cost — which, by and large, they have done. While there are two ways to go about the process, horizontal drilling from the surface or in-mine horizontal drilling, the former is by far the cheaper option. Thakur, in fact, estimated a 10:1 cost dif- ference, though the impact is less if there is a way to market the gas and offset that expense. Additionally, fracking is not needed in the shallower seams with high permeability. In the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam, the goal is generally not to market or do anything else with the gas; operators are much more concerned with getting the gas out and safely mine the best coal with the Ventilation layout for a longwall in moderately gassy coal seams. best rates. February 2016 www.coalage.com 29 mine ventilation continued

important as well. With a typical degas emission of about 300 cfm at an average of 10 ft, one would need 39,000 cfm of air, a number, that some mines can’t achieve — a “tragedy,” according to Thakur, who rec- ommends cutting down the face from 1,600 ft, in some cases, to a more manage- able size. He also strongly stresses the use of an internal return with regulator. With faces at their current range of depths and length, the result is often less air and more emissions in tailgate. Fans are helpful to an extent, but a better financial selection for operations to make is degasification, which will cut down on quickly rising costs of powerful fans and ventilation plans focused on them. As seen in the chart, Thakur offers an estimation of an optimum face width for the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam using methane emissions and total ventilation air; the Optimum width of face in Pittsburgh No. 8 seam, according to Thakur’s calculations. seam, again, is considered to be moder- ately gassy. His general recommenda- country, many operations can also run gas from the gob can be captured. tions include a face length of 700 to 750 ft into gas post-mining as the progression of Assuming bleeders are kept in the safe in highly gassy mines, 1,250 to 1,320 ft in longwall mining results in roof movement zone below 1.5%, and with bleeder air moderately gassy mines and those classi- and, in some cases, floor heaves, and that managing 3.2 million-4.4 million ft3/day, fied as highly gassy can exceed 1,500 ft. gas must be handled as well, according the ventilation air needed in such a sce- Another advantage to degasification, to Thakur. There are two techniques nario is 150,000 to 200,000 ft3 per minute should an operator choose to collect and to achieve that, including vertical gob (cfm). Gas emissions on the longwall face market it, is additional revenue to offset wells and cross-measure boreholes, a primarily depend on the gas content of degassing and overall mining costs. European-based technology measure de-gassed coal and the rate of mining “You clean that gas, put in in a pipeline, mainly used in smaller and slower moving (Thakur uses a rate of 70 ft/day), but it is you can make some money…even at longwalls. clear that those ventilation figures are a today’s rates,” Thakur noted. “When the floor heaves, sometimes 25% tall order. Without question, however, whether or of the gas in gob comes from the floor,” he So, just how wide can a longwall face be not a longwall mine chooses to sell its gas, said. “Many mines [in history] have had in the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam and still he encourages that management listen to disasters because of this floor gas.” mine safely? Thakur said that the criteria its technical experts, especially when In general, the wider the panel, the high- for an optimum face length/panel width many mines waste millions to find a result er up it breaks. In one case from his expe- are the tailgate’s total gas flow and venti- that matches the initial recommendation rience, he confirmed gas production from lation air and a methane (CH4) concen- of said expert. Over the years, he said, he up to 1,000 ft from the surface at a long- tration of below 1%, ideally 0.8%. has watched many mines do just that. wall with a 1,000-ft face. “When you plan “Based on my experience, if you make it “There’s a famous [movie] saying…‘a degas of the gob, you have to allow for too long and you don’t have enough man gots to know his limitations.’ We all these things,” he added. air…you may be legal, but go 6 in. up and need to know our limitations,” Thakur you may not,” he said. “It’s very important said. The Bottom Line to check; it can’t go unabated.” “Panels need to be brought down to this A typical longwall liberates 8 million ft3 Using the gas layering index to deter- level. My message to you: we have the of gas daily, and on average 55-60% of mine one’s gas layering number (GLN) is technology today to make sure that mines don’t blow up. People don’t need to die because of gas anymore.”

Note: This article is an adaptation of a pre- sentation given by Murray Energy Corp. Coal Degasification Group Manager Dr. Pramod Thakur at the Longwall USA Thakur's recommendations for optimum face lengths considering their respective levels of gas. Exhibition and Conference held during June 2015.

30 www.coalage.com February 2016 front-end loaders

Jack of All Trades

Industry’s trend of doing more with less has allowed Joy Global’s line of resourceful front-end loaders to take on even more responsibility

BY DONNA SCHMIDT, FIELD EDITOR

Joy’s loader lineup includes the L950, L1150, L1350, L1850 and L2350.

Think back to the mine of yesterday: an dation. Equipment makers, re-sponding Among these are the Switched Reluc- expansive fleet of machines, each with largely to important customer mine feed- tance Hybrid Drive, a proprietary elec- its own capabilities, all with their own back, are producing vehicles with more tric-drive technology platform that helps specific job — in some cases, acquired flexibility and capabilities than ever allow for higher uptime and a better just for that single task. The bigger the before, and with the most robust designs environmental footprint, reduced waste, mine, the more lengthy the lineup of for long, efficient lives. and lower fuel consumption, and LINCS vehicles and, as a result, the more main- A great example of that shift has been II for those aiming for an even higher lev- tenance time spent and capital laid out the line of Joy Global loaders, which the el of control. for acquisition, upkeep, modifications OEM integrated into its product portfolio and more. following its 2011 acquisition of SR Drive Technology Stepping on-site at a mine today, is a dif- LeTourneau. The five loaders — the SR technology is not new, according to ferent story entirely. This is especially true L950, L1150, L1350, L1850 and L2350 — Michael Fleet, product manager for over the last several years when operators share not only the flexibility to do the wheel loaders, but the technology has have become increasingly prudent with work of multiple machines, including the significantly progressed, especially in the their capital budgets and staff and other slower stalwart hydraulic excavator, but years since Joy and Le Tourneau com- resources have been forced into consoli- also some truly top-line technology. bined expertise.

32 www.coalage.com February 2016 front-end loaders continued

“As technologies advance, we use the core technology to refine products to give [mines] a huge advantage in opera- tional costs,” he said, noting that among those advantages are fuel savings, a sim- pler design for reliability, maintainability and even the lessened need for costly, laborious maintenance equipment and man-hours. “It’s more time to dig and produce, [thus] higher profitability.” In terms of fuel efficiency, the OEM has reported cases where customers saw a 45% reduction in consumption versus a compa- rably sized mechanical drive wheel loader. Additionally, the SR Hybrid Drive sys- tem is a regenerative process. During braking/retarding, the electrical motors become generators that, in turn, feed power back to the engine’s generator — at a capture rate of nearly 100%. For loader owners, the SR Hybrid Drive can also keep engine operation at a con- sistent RPM, saving money for its owner, and with quicker cycle times and less operator fatigue, an operator can also reap the benefits of time savings. With inherently less moving parts — electric drives have no power-robbing torque converter, no three-speed trans- mission, no transfer cases, no differen- tials and no power-transferring universal joints — there is less room for compo- nent failures, and often that aids in yet another benefit: longer lifespans. Commodity prices are low,” Fleet added. “Mines are trying to reduce costs. If [loaders] have moving parts, then they have to be lubed, etc., [introducing] those associated costs.” Looking ahead, he said design opti- mization continues with the SR Hybrid technology. It will be featured in the company’s upcoming hybrid excavator/ shovel and underground loader family.

Doing More With Less: the Joy Loader Line A review of Joy’s loader choices reveals a wide range of payload lift capacities as well as vast capabilities for any coalfield. The largest is the L2350, with a standard payload of 160,000 pounds of lift capacity (LC); it is also produced in a high lift and super lift version. Featuring standard lift capacities are the L1850, with a 120,000-lb LC, the 90,000-lb LC model L1350, and the L1150, with 76,000-lb LC. Joy’s smallest version, the L950, has a lift capacity of

February 2016 www.coalage.com 33 front-end loaders continued

54,000 lb. All loader models come in a Komatsu unveils WA600-8 standard lift and a high lift arrangement. In addition to these arrangements, the L2350 also has the super high lift option. The most popular model from that line, according to Fleet, is the L1850, many thanks in part to their ideal size and abil- ity to run at operations aiming for the absolute lowest operations costs and high production mines. “Overall, it’s the best mix of their needs,” he said. One great example is the ability of the large loader to blend into the overall opera- tion. For instance, in the Powder River Basin (PRB), “all of those are big mining operations….big equipment, big every- thing, and it’s a natural fit to match those trucks, loading in four to six passes effi- ciently.” There are no other large wheel loaders in the same class as the L1850 and L2350 to offer the same loading efficiency. This, too, is where mobility comes in, and in a big way. “In some areas, we compete against hydraulic excavators,” Fleet said, pointing Komatsu America recently released the with fuel consumption; this data can out that mines that blend their material in new WA600-8 wheel loader, featuring even be sorted by operator ID. the pit can do so much more efficiently greater fuel efficiency as well as a bigger, Additionally, the Komatsu Auto Idle with a large loader. Hydraulic excavators improved bucket and smoother, quieter Shutdown reduces idle time and also travel at 1 to 2 mph at best so relocating ride. helps to save fuel. them from bench to bench or pit to pit is a The company said the new machine, Operator comfort also considered, the time consuming and costly event. A large at the heart of which is a Tier-4 Final- unit has a new air-suspension, high- Joy loader can quickly relocate and be pro- certified engine, can consume up to 13% back, heated seat that softens the ductive in a substantially shorter time less fuel than its Tier 3 predecessor. machine’s vibrations. Once its operator frame. Additionally, its standard bucket capaci- is ready to go, he or she can reach for “Capital assets have become more criti- ty has increased to 9.2 cubic yards; the the ergonomic seat-mounted electronic cal, and as these [loaders] have become adjustment now allows the bucket to fill pilot control levers with an F-N-R more robust, they have become a mine easier and retain material better, as well switch and examine the surroundings loading tool,” Fleet said. It is a trend that is as provide better operator visibility. with a 7-in. full color, high-resolution picking up speed: “In the past, it was treat- On the performance side, Komatsu’s monitor and separate full-color rear- ed as support equipment. We have clients newest addition combines an enhanced view monitor. where it is a production machine and a lockup torque converter function and Other features of the WA600-8: a vari- major part of the fleet.” SmartLoader logic to achieve low fuel able traction control system and modu- Customers, the company said, have justi- consumption and high travel speeds. lated clutch system; full rear fenders fied the purchase of a Joy loader simply for Also, its Komatsu Diesel Particulate with stairs and handrails standard on its time savings in relocation. A case in Filter (KDPF) and other after treatment both sides; a swing-out cooling fan with point is the production loss prior to and components are designed in conjunc- wider fin spacing and reversing fan; just after a blast. While the lumbering, cum- tion with the engine for efficiency and more hinged panels on each side for bersome excavator would need to be long life, and more than 98% of KDPF greater access to regeneration compo- moved well in advance with each blast, regeneration is performed passively, nents; a new and enhanced auto-dig then walked back into place afterward, the with no operator action required or function and on-board and remote loader could simply be removed from the operational interference. monitoring of Komatsu integrated load area and returned as needed with a much Inside the cab, the WA600-8 includes meter data. better turnaround time. the KOMTRAX Plus telematics system Whether purchased, leased or rented, “It can stay engaged in digging phase and monitor to provide crucial machine the WA600-8 is covered by the Komatsu much longer pre-and post-blast,” Fleet information to the operator, including CARE program for the first three years said. “Some customers have justified pur- KDPF status and DEF-level data along or 2,000 hours. chases just based on that.”

34 www.coalage.com February 2016 front-end loaders continued

Closing the Circle With LINCS II One of the central features that all of Joy’s loaders have in common is the LINCS II integrated control and monitor- ing system. The platform, which controls a loader’s functions, allows for vital oper- ating parameters to be monitored and observed with real-time feedback, even sending that data to a remote location for collection and analysis. The result, aside from the obvious benefit of time and cost savings, is enhanced opera- tional safety. The dash-mounted touchscreen sys- tem provides the operator instant speci- fication including bucket height and angle, individual bucket payload, cumu- Joy’s largest loader is the L2350, with a standard payload of 160,000 pounds of lift capacity. lative truck loads, elapsed time per load- ing cycle, total tons moved, available alarms for a failure that could result in the same interface can be found across fuel, vehicle speed and even the temper- catastrophic damage or personal injury; the Joy line — as well as the same build ature of the unit’s coolant. yellow warnings for an issue affecting technology from the inside out. LINCS II can also keep a loader opera- machine performance; or blue preventive “If a mine owns any one of these mod- tor from executing inappropriate com- maintenance alerts to indicate something els, it can easily operate and be strategic mands, such as lifting loads beyond the is out of tolerance and should be repaired in parts inventory and technology, and machine’s safe loading weight. Also, a or replaced as soon as possible. operators need to learn only one operat- color-coded alarm system provides Should a loader operator need to move ing system,” Fleet said. “There is that instant warnings on urgent issues: red to another machine of a different model, commonality across all five models.”

February 2016 www.coalage.com 35 blastholemaintenance drilling Achieving World-class Mining Maintenance: Step 3 — Establish an Efficient Program In the third segment of this six-part series, the author presents the basic steps in crafting an effective program that will enable operators to develop and sustain top-notch mine maintenance

BY PAUL TOMLINGSON

The third step in the path toward achiev- ing world-class maintenance is to estab- lish an effective mine maintenance program. This consists of developing, documenting, testing, and implementing a quality program that spells out how maintenance work is requested, identi- fied, classified, planned, scheduled, assigned, controlled, measured and assessed to ensure sustained, effective performance. After a program is devel- oped and agreed upon, an educational effort is carried out to ensure that the entire mining operation understands what maintenance does, who does what, how and why. Personnel will then see their supporting and cooperative mainte- nance-related roles clearly and con- tribute more effectively to the success of the total operation. Note that the program is the mine maintenance program — not the pro- Figure 1 — The legend to explain this schematic diagram would read: (1) When an equipment operator deter- gram of the maintenance department. mines that a minor problem could be repaired by a maintenance crew member, he calls for informal help. (2) Why? Maintenance planning, for exam- The crew member would make necessary adjustments or minor repairs to get the equipment running properly. ple, is a maintenance function and main- If the repair is a simple adjustment, no record is necessary. If the repair meets repair history criteria, enter the work done in the work order system as prescribed. If an emergency repair was necessary, advise the mainte- tenance bears full responsibility for its nance supervisor at the first opportunity and document the actions taken. success. However, planning will not be successful without the support of ware- housing and purchasing to supply mate- ment of the resulting work. Finally, it ments whose help is essential to success- rials or cooperation from operations in enables assessment of overall accom- ful maintenance — have little idea of making equipment available for work. plishment against goals such as perfor- what is expected of them. Thus, essen- These other departments have a defini- mance standards and budgets. tial, basic support for the program is not tive role in planning success and become Mining organizations often fail to provided. Instead, confusion and uncer- an integral part of the mine maintenance adequately define their maintenance tainty prevail. program. programs. As a result, maintenance per- To avoid this situation, invite other sonnel who are tasked to carry them out departments to review and comment What It Is become confused and uncertain. on actions that involve them after mainte- What is the mine maintenance program? Operations staff wonder how they can nance has documented a preliminary pro- In short, it describes what is to be done, best support maintenance. Depart- gram. Operations, for example, may have by whom, how and why. It reflects the ments such as warehousing try to second only a vague idea of how the preventive interaction of the total mine population guess what maintenance needs. Mine maintenance (PM) program actually works as work is requested or identified and managers are frustrated and impatient. or what the planner is supposed to do. An classified to determine the best outcome. In instances where maintenance pro- explanation, along with a review of the pro- The program includes planning, schedul- grams have not been defined, operating gram’s preliminary schematic diagram, will ing, assignment, control and measure- departments — as well as staff depart- help to eliminate any misunderstanding.

36 www.coalage.com February 2016 maintenance continued

But more importantly, operations person- nel will recognize the actions that they must take in order for the maintenance program to serve them effectively. They will also become aware that the objectives and poli- cies of the production strategy are incorpo- rated into the program. Staff personnel, especially from warehousing and purchas- ing, will now realize the importance of attending and participating in the weekly operations and maintenance scheduling meetings. Accounting will better appreciate the critical maintenance need for quality information. The process of defining the program yields better understanding of program procedures, gains commitment, and edu- cates personnel on program execution, support and cooperation. The essential interaction of mine departments is con- firmed as mutual activities are carried Figure 2 — A more comprehensive legend is required to explain how preventive maintenance (PM) would be car- out. Warehousing and purchasing, for ried out: (1) Preventive maintenance services due are shown in the information system. (2) Services due on example, will specify procedures to equipment are either static (require shutdown) or dynamic services (done while running). (3) Static PM services obtain materials while maintenance will are integrated into the weekly schedule and operations advised at the upcoming operations/maintenance include these procedures in their own scheduling meeting. (4) Dynamic PM services are to be done at the discretion of the maintenance supervisor. (5) programs to ensure they are understood The maintenance supervisor assigns PM services to his crew members. (6) Services are performed by mainte- nance crew members. (7) Crew members confer with operators to learn about actual equipment condition. (8) and followed. Operators assist according their instructions. (9) Operations supervisors are advised of deficiencies found and their seriousness by the crew member. (10) Deficiencies are reviewed by the maintenance supervisor and the Getting Started crew member then converted into work as follows: (11) Emergency repairs; supervisor assigns at first opportuni- The program definition begins with the ty. (12) Work to be planned; supervisor forwards to planner. (13) Unscheduled repairs; crew member enters in mine manager who will provide guidance work order system for subsequent assignment. enabling development of a solid produc- tion strategy that meshes with mining operation needs and meets corporate requirements. Departmental objectives and policies will be assigned so that departments can develop the interlock- ing procedures that make the mine’s maintenance program work efficiently.

Define the program and educate the workforce — Program definition is a com- posite action of all departments. As they work together, maintenance crews, equipment operators, supervisors and staff personnel such as planners, ware- house personnel or purchasing agents should confer as the procedures for each department are being developed. This collaboration assures the practicality and workability of the final program. Key maintenance personnel should be involved in the initial development of the program. Each element of the program Figure 3 — Multidepartment component rebuilding would be explained as follows: Maintenance supervisor (1) should be discussed to determine how assigns the work order to remove the damaged component. (2) Craftsman removes, tags and moves components to activities will be depicted. How will pre- the warehouse classification area. (3) Component is classified and maintenance is notified. (4) Warehouse deter- ventive maintenance services be sched- mines whether the component can be rebuilt. If so (5), it is sent to mine shop or vendor’s shop for rebuilding. If sent uled or what criteria will determine which to mine shop, (6) a work order is provided by warehouse. If vendor rebuilds a purchase order, it (7) is provided by jobs are planned, for example? purchasing. Once rebuilt, (8) accounting (9) receives the work order labor and material charges or the vendor’s invoice. Rebuilt component(s) are returned to stock (10) for reissue to maintenance. Education must include everyone in the mine from worker to manager. Mine

February 2016 www.coalage.com 37 maintenance continued

managers should make a special effort to sure better understanding and improved observe the discussion between depart- cooperation. Maintenance is not a ments as they commit to procedures nec- The most effective “stand-alone” activity; it requires the essary to carry out the production strategy. technique for “ help of many other departments. Questions should be answered promptly documenting the Remember that if one needs help, the first and correctly. Recommendations should “ step is to tell those who can help exactly be welcomed and encouraged. program is a how they can help. It follows that if they schematic diagram. are not told, they will either guess at what Program definition techniques — The is needed and deliver the wrong support most effective technique for document- or worse yet, do nothing. ing the program is a schematic diagram departments will have the opportunity to An integrated information system is accompanied by a legend to facilitate discuss the procedures and their validity. the communications network for the explanation and understanding. While Consider the task of component rebuild- total mine. Maintenance is one user tools such as flow charts, decision trees ing (Figure 3). along with warehousing, purchasing and or narratives with diagrams might be Within maintenance, it is important operations. Information is used for inter- used, none are as effective as the to include new supervisors and those nal actions and shared between depart- schematic diagram in showing the inter- transferred from other organizations. ments and with management. Thus, action of people. Mine personnel and They will welcome the clarification that system use appears in many parts of pro- their actions are pinpointed to help bind the program brings. Personnel from other gram documentation: scheduling PM, people to the program. departments will be made aware of what reporting labor use or ordering parts. First, identify the key personnel and maintenance does, how they do it, who The accounting system is the counter- lay out a rough diagram. If these person- does what and why. Collaborative work- part to the information system in con- nel were to include, for example, a main- ing relationships will evolve to en- verting field data like labor use into costs tenance supervisor, his crew, an operations supervisor and operators, position them logically. As the prelimi- nary diagram starts to take shape, individ- uals are linked with various actions using arrows pointing to the person receiving information and simple captions like “assign” or “inspect.” The sequences of events are numbered in the order they take place and preliminary explanations are placed in the legend (Figure 1). The narrative in the legend should be brief and simple. During the explanation of the program, personnel will let you know whether the explanation needs to be expanded or clarified. Continue to diagram, focusing on each element of the program and the interactions neces- sary to carry it out. Consider preventive maintenance (Figure 2). Elements of the mine maintenance program are best developed individually then linked together. Diagram PM and Figure 4 — The maintenance work order (1) is a control document used to isolate the cost and performance of a compose the legend, then diagram and single major, planned job. Each maintenance work order is assigned a unique work order number to relate it to compose the legend for planning. As the the specific job as well as to the equipment type, number and component. At (2), the work order is opened, mak- process continues, compare diagrams ing it an official accounting document ready to receive data input. The planner establishes a link with purchas- and legends to ensure they are consis- ing to obtain direct charge materials by placing the work order number on the (3) purchase order(s). Next, stock tent and logical. Thus, if static PM ser- materials are ordered and the work order number is placed on all stock issue documents (4). As work is complet- ed, labor data are recorded on the time card (5) and labor use is associated with the work order number. Most vices are to be included in the weekly systems provide work requests (6) and labor and material data flow into the data base. Similarly, verbal orders schedule, they must be cross-referenced may be used (7). Standing work orders (8) identifying routine, repetitive tasks like shop cleanup are opened in in the planning diagram showing them the database to accumulate costs for an entire year. Should maintenance perform nonmaintenance work, like being added to the weekly schedule. equipment installation, an engineering work order (9) is established. Actual project work may be carried out by Keep in mind that multiple depart- either maintenance or a contractor. Project work performed by maintenance is controlled by the work order, but ments are involved in many mainte- the work order number must be associated with the engineering work order number. Direct charge materials are nance activities. Planning, for example, associated with the project by linking the engineering work order number with the (10) purchase order number. The engineering work order (11) is opened in the database to control the project. Production statistics (12) are requires interaction with the warehouse, added to allow comparisons such as the cost per operating hour. Finally, all elements are brought together in the purchasing and shops. By diagramming data base to produce information like (13) cost, repair history, job status, etc. these interrelationships, involved

38 www.coalage.com February 2016 maintenance continued and job status. It is important that the schedule compliance of only 33%. Upon program depict an accurate picture of its discussing the new program with opera- use: especially how the work order and The most important tions, they required maintenance to pre- accounting systems work together aspect of program sent a plan of required work, already (Figure 4). development is the “ planned and ready. Both parties then Before assembling the separate “ negotiated the schedule times to inter- elements of the program such as PM participation of fere least with operations and make the or planning, sketch a diagram of the personnel in best use of maintenance resources. expected work control elements that will the process. Within six weeks schedule compliance be included in the program. This will doubled and the new procedure was serve as a checklist of how the incorporated along with revised planner program elements will fit together the current organization can be con- duties. and how key personnel must interact firmed or altered to fit the circumstances Include craftsmen in program discus- (Figure 5). of the program. sions as they are the ones who must car- ry out the actual work, and will have a Assemble program elements — Assemble Expect Some Changes practical view of what should be done the elements that will make up the main- Keep in mind that the new program may and how. Their participation allows real- tenance program by examining the cur- signal changes required in the organiza- istic input and a sense of ownership of rent organizational chart. This step is tion or the duties of key personnel. To the program as opposed to wondering taken to ensure that all necessary mainte- illustrate: In an existing maintenance about the mysterious process being con- nance personnel are accounted for and practice, planners devised a weekly cocted behind closed doors and soon to included in the preliminary program. schedule to present to operations. This be inflicted on them. Once program details are agreed upon, practice had netted an unsatisfactory Finally, when the maintenance and operations managers meet with the mine manager and jointly announce, “this is our maintenance program,” the mine manager will have confirmed that his production strategy is going to be carried out effectively. In summary, keep in mind that the most important aspect of program development is the participation of per- sonnel in the process. Personnel from all departments become familiar with the activities of other departments. They will see how their own actions impact interdepartmental cooperation. Partici- pation encourages input of ideas and generates a sense of ownership in the new program. In turn, this ownership suggests a commitment to make the pro- gram work.

Next month: Step 4 — How to select the best information system to control the maintenance program and how to use it Figure 5 — The work control process overview begins with: (1) New work identified by PM services, requested by effectively. operations, developed by analyzing costs or repair history, or required by operating circumstances. (2) All incoming work is classified to determine the best reaction: Is it an emergency? Does it need to be planned? Is it About the Author not maintenance? (3) Some work must be done right away as with emergency repairs. (4) Other work may meet Paul D. Tomlingson ([email protected]) the criteria for planning and be forwarded to the planner. (5) Some work is may be held or deferred pending the is a Denver-based maintenance manage- availability of the equipment to do the work, receipt of repair materials etc. (6) Work that is ready to go or due ment consultant. His latest book, (as in static PM services) is included in a proposed plan for negotiation with operations where, upon their con- currence, it is converted into an approved schedule. Some of the deferred work may be added to the schedule, if Maintenance in Transition — The resources are available. Upon joint operations and maintenance schedule approval, the schedule is forwarded Journey to World-class Maintenance, to field supervisors to carry out the work. (7) As the supervisors assign jobs to their crew members, they could includes a detailed two-page diagram of add and other smaller jobs to their daily work plans to take advantage of available downtime on equipment. (8) an actual program accompanied by a As the work is carried out, it is controlled by direct supervision or guidelines given to crew members. (9) Upon coordinated step-by-step legend. Copies completion, crew members advise their supervisors and record job details. (10) Verbal or written reports are of the book (ISBN 978-1-4675-9069-3, rendered to advise of work status. (11) Individual jobs or schedules are measured to help determine how effec- 395 pp.) can be purchased from the tively work was carried out. (12) Feedback is provided to work originators or managers to allow assessment of the total work control process. author. He welcomes inquiries concern- ing these articles.

February 2016 www.coalage.com 39 operating ideas

Using CPDM Dust Data

BY EMILY HAAS, DANA WILLMER AND JJ MEADOWS

A major part of the newly discussions with these miners, they learned key points about how updated dust regulation the CPDM can be introduced and used to encourage positive health requires mine operators to communication efforts among miners. begin collecting respirable dust samples using Continu- Miner Training — What is the CPDM? ous Personal Dust Monitors Our discussions showed the importance of introducing the CPDM to (CPDMs) for designated occu- everyone during group or shift safety meetings and providing usability pations (DO) and “other” des- training for the technology so everyone understands the purpose of ignated occupations (ODO) the sampling device. Previous research about the introduction of oth- beginning February 1. With er mine health and safety technologies, such as proximity detection the regulation now in place, systems, has shown that miners desire communication and training mine operators, mine-workers about the what, why and how of these technologies in the workplace.2 and stakeholders are each Therefore, miners should understand what information is provided by responsible for various tasks to the CPDM and how that information may affect how they perceive ensure an appropriate amount their surrounding environment so they can respond accordingly. of CPDM 3700 samples are CPDM 3700 with lapel clip. completed per quarter. Miner Discussions — What Does the CPDM Tell Us? With the CPDM providing miners with near real-time feed- When the CPDM is in use, dust data cards are produced from end- back about their level of respirable coal dust exposure on the job, of-shift CPDM downloads each day. These dust data cards provide a a new opportunity is arising for management, in collaboration 30-minute mass concentration (milligrams per cubic meter, mg/m3) with their employees, to use this information to determine and cumulative mass concentration (mg/m3), so miners are able to methods for reduced exposure. Some researchers have effective- see when their concentrations were higher during their work shift. ly argued that the use of information technology can enhance Going over these dust data cards with miners as soon as possible organizational communication around health and safety.1 In line after their shift could help them recall and identify where and what with that argument, taking a nonjudgmental yet proactive their work tasks were during the times of higher exposure. Those approach to discuss the dust data produced by the CPDM may workers who wear the technology are the most qualified to discuss help to identify and support actions to limit future exposure dur- causes for variations in and possible ways to mitigate their res- ing reoccurring work tasks. pirable coal dust exposure, because they are familiar with their work In light of the new regulation, it is highly important for mine activities and conditions.3 These discussions could help to identify operators and miners to not only understand how they can use the specific work practices to help reduce future exposures, such as technology to monitor personal exposure to respirable dust, but changing a stance relative to a machine, curtain or another worker. exactly what and how they can engage in actions to reduce exposure. Additionally, previous research with miners and new technology Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and has shown that, with more communicative support from managers Health (NIOSH) recently met with several coal miners who were and coworkers, miners are more inclined to behave in ways that learning how to use the technology during their shifts. During the limit their exposure.4 A Solution in Search of a Problem

It has been 18 months since the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) rule ing to delay it on the grounds that the federal regulator overstepped its authority in aimed at lowering a miner’s exposure to respirable coal mine dust was implemented, issuing the rules. The 11th Circuit Court in Atlanta court rejected the claim. and on February 1, the second phase of the rule went into effect. The first phase of the NMA spokesman Luke Popovich said that the decision was disappointing to rule increased operator sampling and required operators to take immediate corrective the group. “First, the court deferred to MSHA’s definition of the problem — some- action when a sample showed excessive concentrations. thing we disagree with. As we have said, this rule was a solution in search of a Under the second phase of the rule, continuous personal dust monitors (CPDMs) problem and the court, rather than addressing this, chose to accept MSHA’s defi- must be used to monitor occupations exposed to the highest respirable dust concen- nition of the problem,” he said. “Additionally, the court believes that the consul- trations, as well as all miners with evidence of black lung. For high-exposure occupa- tation process that took place between National Institute for Occupational Safety tions, 15 valid samples must be obtained every quarter, instead of the five samples and Health (NIOSH) and MSHA is an adequate substitute for the statutory require- previously collected every two months, followed by sampling of 15 shifts for other ments for joint action. It diminishes NIOSH’s role in regulatory matters impacting occupations. Finally, operators must post results of CPDM sampling within 12 hours miners’ health and removes one of the checks envisioned by the Mine Act on of the sampled shift. MSHA’s regulatory powers.” The implementation comes after a January 25 U.S. Court of Appeals decision to The third and final phase becomes effective in August. It will lower the dust con- deny a legal challenge by the National Mining Association (NMA) and operators seek- centration limit for the dustiest areas of coal mines from 2 to 1.5 mg/m3 of air.

40 www.coalage.com February 2016 operating ideas continued

Miner Encouragement — Learning From CPDMs When discussing respirable dust exposure with miners, they noted that relevant dust control practices on the job often are not explicitly ^ƉĞĐŝĂůŝnjĞĚ^ƚĞĞů^ŽůƵƟŽŶƐĨŽƌƚŚĞ discussed; however, miners agreed that they should try to remind DŝŶŝŶŐΘZĞĐLJĐůŝŶŐ/ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞƐ each other about small things they can do to reduce personal expo- sure, rather than assuming everyone already knows what to do. As one miner said, “We constantly stop to talk about a safety hazard and response; we should do the same for our health.” Using the CPDM to initiate some of these positive health responses can be a starting point to encourage such communication. Additionally, miners said that there is more they can do to help reduce each other’s exposure. Discussing with work crews what some of these practices may be, could assist with dust maintenance and reduced exposure as well.

Getting Over the Technology Learning Curve Initial integration of this technology will require a lot of time, effort and learning, with mine sites all having varying degrees of experi- ence with CPDM sampling and follow-up. If used positively, CPDM feedback can be part of a continuing effort to establish a more inte- grated approach to managing and encouraging miner health. Everyone in the mining community has the opportunity to under- stand the message that, despite the varying roles and responsibilities associated with compliance, the fundamental purpose of the new regulation is to reduce the amount of respirable coal dust that min- ers are exposed to on a daily basis. By communicating about the what, why and how of this new technology, discussing the CPDM dust data cards with miners as soon as possible after their shift, and discussing best practices with work crews based on what is learned from the CPDM data, mine operators can initiate positive communi- For more than 50 years, Astralloy Steel Products has been ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐŝŶŶŽǀĂƟǀĞĂŶĚĐŽƐƚĞīĞĐƟǀĞǁĞĂƌ͕ŝŵƉĂĐƚĂŶĚĂďƌĂƐŝŽŶ cations about miner health. ƌĞƐŝƐƚĂŶƚƐƚĞĞůƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ͘tĞŽīĞƌƐƵƉĞƌŝŽƌĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐĞƌǀŝĐĞǁŝƚŚ NIOSH intends to continue research efforts to encourage miner readily available inventory of proprietary and quenched and discussion and participation in CPDM feedback to identify potential tempered steel grades. problems and potential solutions to reduce respirable dust exposure in an effort to help sites begin to use and adapt to this new technolo- ASTRALLOY PRODUCT LINE gy on site. Contact [email protected] at NIOSH for more information Specialized Plate Alloy Plate Round Alloy Bar or to participate. Astralloy-V® ƐƚƌĂtĞĂƌϱϱϬ Astralloy-V® Round Bar ® ƐƚƌĂtĞĂƌϱϬϬ& Emily Haas, Ph.D., and Dana Willmer, Ph.D., work with the NIOSH Astralloy 8000 4330 V-Mod Round Bar Astralloy 4800® ƐƚƌĂtĞĂƌϰϱϬ& 4145 H-Mod Round Bar Office of Mine Safety and Health Research in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. EB-450® ƐƚƌĂtĞĂƌϰϬϬ& Haas can be reached at [email protected]. JJ Meadows, MS CMSP, is a safe- dƌŝƉͲ>ͲdƵī® A-514 ty manager for Patriot Coal, in Winchester, Eskdale, West Virginia. Rol-Man®

Disclaimer KƵƌĐůŝĞŶƚƐĂůƐŽďĞŶĞĮƚĨƌŽŵŽƵƌƵŶƉĂƌĂůůĞůĞĚĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞǁŝƚŚ ƚŚŽƵƐĂŶĚƐŽĨĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐĂĐƌŽƐƐǀĂƌŝŽƵƐŵĂƌŬĞƚƐĂŶĚŝŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞƐ͘ The findings and conclusions are those of the authors and do not nec- essarily represent the views of NIOSH. Mention of any company name, product, or software does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH.

References 1. Hinds, P. & Kiesler, S. (1995). Communication across boundaries: Work, structure, and use of communication technologies in a large organization. Organization Science, 6, pp. 373-393. www.astralloy.com 2. Haas, E. J., & DuCarme, J. (2015). A different perspective: NIOSH researchers learn from CM operator responses to proximity detec- Toll-free: 1.866.587.6970 tion systems. Coal Age, October, pp. 34-35. Sales: 724.230.5100 3. Edwards, S. (1983). Quality circles are safety circles. National [email protected] Safety News, pp. 31-35. 4. Haas, E. J., & Cecala, A. B. (2015). Beyond assessment: Helmet- ƐƚƌĂůůŽLJ^ƚĞĞůWƌŽĚƵĐƚƐŝƐĂǁŚŽůůLJͲŽǁŶĞĚƐƵďƐŝĚŝĂƌLJŽĨEƵĐŽƌŽƌƉŽƌĂƟŽŶ͕ the largest producer of steel in the United States. CAM technology influencing dust exposure awareness and response. Rock Products, November, 28-29.

February 2016 www.coalage.com 41 suppliers news

Jennmar Purchases DSI Mining’s U.S. Business

Jennmar has entered into five separate agreements with Delegates were able to see firsthand the ways that BlastLogic Dywidag Systems International (DSI). The company will can monitor drill access, explosives loading around coal and acquire all of DSI Mining’s manufacturing assets in the United timing for each bench in through-seam blasts. Tracking key per- States; DSI’s entire mining division will be integrated into formance indicators (KPIs) across all drill and blast activities Jennmar USA. streamlines quality assurance and quality control. “DSI’s strong presence in western U.S. hard rock mining will Snapshots of historical blasts guide selection of optimum further strengthen Jennmar’s position in this segment,” said powder factor and dictate drill burden and spacing that take Tony Calandra, executive vice president, Jennmar. “On the oth- into account waste and coal margins. Explosives loading rules er side, its activities in coal mining will complement our existing dictate how much stemming should be loaded through coal and strong footprint and close some gaps in our offering.” at the surface, and the type of explosives for wet and dry condi- DSI will acquire Jennmar’s Latin America business, which tions. includes Mexico, Chile and Peru, as well as Jennmar’s compa- “BlastLogic links blast designs directly with the geology nies in Europe (namely Spain, Czech Republic and Poland). All model,” said Steve Putt, blasé management specialist for of the transactions are expected to close by the beginning of Maptek. “This helps ensure placement of detonators and explo- March. In addition, DSI will acquire Jennmar Australia; this sives columns with centimeter-level accuracy to prevent transaction is contingent upon a review by the Australian unwanted dilution. Every hole can be tracked in detail across a Competition Commission. bench and a project. “Soft commodity prices and supply/demand imbalances “If drills do not have access to where holes are needed, the represent important challenges to our customers in mining,” blast is off to a bad start,” Putt said. “Through-seam explosives said Patrik Nolåker, group CEO of DSI. “Through this acquisi- loading is unique for every hole and specific loading instruc- tion, DSI will combine the strengths of two well-established tions are based on where the coal is in each hole.” market players, which will allow it to provide its customers a “Obviously good design is just one part of the coal recovery superior offering, both from an efficiency and a product and equation,” Putt said. “Any variation from the designed load plan service portfolio perspective.” can cause dilution and ultimately reduce revenue. BlastLogic In addition to these transactions, FCI is selling a 50% stake in tracks execution progress to ensure that learnings can be passed its Chinese subsidiary Jennmar Asia, creating another Rocbolt along for future blasts.” Technologies joint venture between Jennmar and DSI. These Direct interface to site drill navigation systems automatically companies will do business as Rocbolt Technologies (China) retrieves as-drilled data. With live information, engineers can and will join two other successful joint ventures between review any changes to the explosives loading plan immediately Jennmar and DSI, Rocbolt Technologies (South Africa) and the holes are drilled. Rocbolt Resins (Australia). Drilling mistakes can be corrected by adjusting explosives loading. Loading mistakes can be mitigated by adjusting the Maptek Showcases Blasting Technology at ISEE blast timing. Maptek demonstrated its innovative through-seam blast tech- “It may take several attempts to optimize the blast,” Putt nology at the International Society of Explosives Engineers said. “Keeping good records guides long-term improvement. A (ISEE) annual conference, which was held in Las Vegas during robust, easy-to-use tracking system such as BlastLogic is critical January. Maptek’s BlastLogic easily handles critical design fac- to productivity. Substantial time is saved on data formatting tors to ensure that coal seams remain intact even during com- and entry in various systems, allowing engineers to focus on plicated blasts where there is minimal room for error. drill-and-blast planning and compliance.”

Wabco Acquires Mico Wabco announced it is expanding its global business by acquir- ing Mico, a market leader in hydraulic components, controls and brake systems for heavy-duty, off-highway vehicles. A long- time industry leader in pneumatic braking systems, Wabco is expanding its product offerings through the acquisition to become the first and only supplier with a portfolio of complete pneumatic and hydraulic braking and control systems for off- highway vehicles worldwide. Wabco’s strong global presence provides increased access to customers worldwide for Mico products. In return, Wabco gains BlastLogic models through-seam blasts (above) to ensure the coal remains intact. improved access to the off-highway market in North America

42 www.coalage.com February 2016 suppliers news continued

oping world-class products and engineering and manufacturing capabilities.” “We are thrilled to join Wabco, a technology leader in the commercial vehicle industry that is known and respected world- wide,” said Brent McGrath, president, Mico. “This acquisition presents exciting new opportunities for Mico, our customers and our employees.

Equipment Health Monitoring The i-ALERT2 Equipment Health Monitor, a system developed by ITT Goulds Pumps, has been named a winner of Processing magazine’s 2015 Breakthrough Products of the Year. Released in May, the system combines the latest in Bluetooth low-energy The Mico acquisition enables Wabco to become the first and only supplier with with sensor technologies commonly used in the newest con- a portfolio of complete pneumatic and hydraulic brake control systems for off- sumer health and fitness trackers and smart watches. It is the highway vehicles worldwide. Pictured here are Jon Morrison (left), president of first to successfully integrate these technologies into an indus- the Americas for Wabco, and Brent McGrath, president, Mico. trial package. The device is engineered and rated for use in a wide range of global industrial environments and is capable of while expanding its operational footprint in the region. Both continuous equipment health monitoring. companies will also be able to build on demonstrated world- “ITT is honored to be recognized with this award for the i- class engineering and manufacturing capabilities. ALERT2 monitor, which is breaking new ground in machine “We are excited to welcome our Mico colleagues to the health monitoring by providing safer and more convenient Wabco family,” said Jon Morrison, president for the Americas, access to pump and system data,” said Aris Chicles, ITT execu- Wabco. “We are committed to growing our off-highway busi- tive vice president and president of ITT’s Industrial Process ness worldwide and to strengthen our presence in North business. “The i-ALERT2 is also a strong reflection of our com- America. Mico is key to our growth and expansion. Over the past mitment at ITT to developing innovative products that improve 70 years, the team at Mico has done a tremendous job of devel- productivity and safety for our customers.”

February 2016 www.coalage.com 43 product news Rough Terrain Forklift

oils will also experience the same excel- lent field performance enjoyed by our customers over the past four years under the current GE specification.” The complete range of viscosities for the Mobil SHC Gear Series, ISO VG 150, 220, 320, 460 and 680, are approved for use under GE Material D50E35, categories A-E. www.mobilindustrial.com

Automated Lubricant Analysis System The MicroLab Series all-in-one automat- ed lubricant analysis systems from Spectro Scientific can be used in any industry that operates equipment pow- ered by diesel engines. The ability to per- form oil analysis on location eliminates the ongoing expense of outside testing Sellick’s S150 rough terrain forklift lifts 15,000 lb. services and dramatically reduces the time waiting for the results of those tests. Sellick Equipment of Harrow, Ontario, panies in the mining sector get more out It provides comprehensive results in less Canada, has introduced the S150 — a of their equipment,” said Larry Mokan, than 20 minutes, which enables compa- rough terrain forklift. The 15,000-lb- senior equipment builder engineer at nies to maintain the readiness of mission- capacity (6800-kg) unit is powered by a ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants. “Mobil critical assets and improve reliability at 74-hp (55-kW), 4-cylinder intercooled SHC Gear Series synthetic oils meet the remote locations while decreasing down- Tier 4f electronic-diesel engine that pro- stringent new gear oil requirements for time and lowering maintenance costs. duces 295 ft/lb of torque. The S150 fea- GE motorized gear drives with a formula- The MicroLab is a multicomponent tures a fully isolated operator platform tion that delivers outstanding protection analyzer used for engine, generator, gear- that reduces noise and vibration, and the in extreme temperature and load condi- box, power steering and transmission flu- over-head guard structure is both ROPS tions while combating micro-pitting ids. It is offered in two versions — the and FOPS certified. Operators can moni- fatigue wear, rust and corrosion.” MicroLab 30 provides key properties for tor the machine’s systems through a mul- The Mobil SHC Gear Series represents oil chemistry, kinematic viscosity and tifunction digital LCD screen that also the company’s continued commitment to concentration of 10 wear and contamina- provides onboard diagnostics to reduce developing advanced, high-performance tion metals. Additionally, the MicroLab 40 downtime. www.sellickequipment.com lubricant technologies that can help cus- version offers an increase to 20 wear, con- tomers decrease costs and improve the tamination and additive metals along Gear Oil Meets Wheel Motor Standard productivity of their operations. with the addition of a particle counter for ExxonMobil has announced that its Mobil These oils contain an advanced, pro- analyzing gear and hydraulic oils. SHC Gear Series of synthetic industrial prietary additive system designed to pro- gear oils have been approved for use in tect gears from conventional wear modes, General Electric (GE) off-highway vehicle such as scuffing, while offering a high lev- motorized wheel gearbox applications el of resistance against micro-pitting requiring GE’s new gear oil specification, fatigue. In addition, the oils offer the D50E35. Effective January 1, the new GE potential for improved lubrication of D50E35 specification replaces the D50E27 gearbox rolling element bearings as com- specification for GE drives used in haul pared to conventional gear oils. trucks. The new spec establishes micro- “We began GE D50E35 qualification pitting protection requirements in addi- testing early and met the new require- tion to scuffing wear resistance and other ments shortly after they were published in improvements. late 2014,” Mokan said. “We are confident “Since their introduction, Mobil SHC that owners of GE OHV motorized gear- Gear Series oils have been helping com- box drives who choose Mobil SHC Gear

44 www.coalage.com February 2016 product news continued

The programmed expert system of the Wireless Load-out Management in 15 minutes or less. This is an ideal solu- MicroLab combines equipment informa- Control Chief’s latest locomotive based tion for many terminals that use leased tion, analysis results and a proprietary offering combines the flexibility of its locomotive power for their operation. database of more than 20 years of oil transportable MU&Goplus+ system with It’s a PLC-based system that incorpo- analysis rules to provide the user easy-to- the safety and convenience of a pedestal- rates a customized human machine inter- understand reports that include color- mounted console transmitter located in face (HMI) for real-time operational data coded alarm limits and diagnostic the load-out control room. “With this from the locomotive as well as control of statements of recommended mainte- wireless solution, we are able to take the any ancillary devices such as car shakers, nance actions. The test data can be print- operator out of the cab of the locomotive rotary dumpers and other site specific ed or wirelessly transmitted to the and have them positioned in the load-out equipment. company’s LubeTrak data management control room optimizing personnel safety “Having the locomotive operator in and storage software to track and trend and efficiency throughout the entire pro- the control room allows them the ability the key oil parameters necessary for opti- cess,” said Dan Sipko, rail applications to monitor feed and/or dump cycles mizing asset health and utilization. specialist for Control Chief. “This solution throughout the process,” said Dave www.spectrosci.com addresses safety concerns that arise from Tenney, locomotive product manager for voice-radio miscommunication between Control Chief. “The inherent logic of the Gloves Combine Protection, Dexterity the load-out and locomotive operators. It system also lends itself for site specific Brass Knuckle safety products from also provides the load-out operator an configuration of safeguards restricting Safety Today Inc. introduced the ‘eye in the sky’ perspective, allowing them inadvertent movement of the locomotive SmartShell BKCR4599, a heavy-duty pro- to place the locomotive exactly where it during the dump process.” tective glove offering wide-ranging pro- needs to be, reducing time wasted re- Load-out sites employing this technol- tection for extreme jobs. The BKCR4599 positioning the cars due to overshoots ogy have proven they can typically pro- provides heavy-duty cut resistance, light leading to coupling slack issues.” cess cars at a similar efficiency to oil and moisture resistance, non-tacky The MU&Goplus+ system provides a high-end car positioning systems at a slip resistance, and shock-absorbing transportable system that can be easily considerable cost savings, according to impact protection. It is a high-end installed on any MU-equipped locomotive the manufacturer. www.controlchief.com mechanic’s glove that delivers ANSI Level 4 cut resistance in a breathable, durable and flexible glove. On the palm and fingers, the BKCR4599 offers three layers of protection. The liner is an ultra- high-performance polyethylene (HPPE) and spandex composite that delivers heavy-duty cut resistance without bulk. Bonded to that is a gray polyurethane (PU) fabric topped with a grippy nitrile surface; a barrier to light-oil or other light-liquid penetration. In critical areas of the palm, padding provides impact resistance. Finally, the back of the hand is protected with sonically welded ther- mo-plastic rubber (TPR) padding. www.safetytoday.com

February 2016 www.coalage.com 45 CONSULTANTS AND SERVICES

TARGET YOUR MARKET WITH CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING!

For more information contact:

Kirk Carbo at (225) 363-6271 or [email protected]

TARGET YOUR MARKET WITH CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING!

For more information contact: Kirk Carbo at FOR MORE INFORMATION ON (225) 363-6271 or CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING [email protected] VISIT WWW.COALAGE.COM

46 www.coalage.com February 2016 CONSULTANTS AND SERVICES

COAL PREPARATION

ADVERTISING INDEX PAGE Astralloy ...... 41 Brady Mining...... BC Brookville Equipment...... 43 Coal Age website...... 15 Coal Prep 2016 ...... 11 DSI...... IBC Eickhoff Corp...... 3 Jennmar ...... IFC Joy Global ...... 9 Kennedy Metal ...... 33 Longwall Associates ...... 17 Longwall Mining Services ...... 35 Longwall USA 2017 ...... 31 MINExpo 2016 ...... 13 Nautilus International ...... 45 Strata Worldwide ...... 43 TerraSource Global...... 45

This index is provided as an additional service. The publisher does not assume liability for errors or omissions.

February 2016 www.coalage.com 47 legally speaking

Tips for Navigating a Mine Accident Investigation

BY LINDA OTAIGBE

An accident has occurred at the mine. It may or mine operator’s accident report have repeatedly been used against may not have involved a fatality, but the next the operator to prove a violation. Because of this, it is highly advis- steps you take will help minimize your legal lia- able that the operator should have counsel assist with the report. bility. First things first, contact first responders and emergency services immediately, especially MSHA’s Arrival if the accident involves a life-threatening situa- Sections 103(j) and 103(k) of the Mine Act give MSHA broad author- tion. Under 30 CFR 50.10 (a)-(c), the Mine Safety ity to take appropriate action to protect the life of any person at the and Health Administration (MSHA) must be mine. Under section 103(j), MSHA may issue orders of withdrawal notified within 15 minutes when any one of three types of mining to protect lives at the mine and include in that order instructions “accidents” occur: the death of an individual at the mine; an injury that prevent the destruction of evidence of violations or the cause of an individual at the mine that has a reasonable potential to of an accident. MSHA may also take direct control of mine rescue cause death; or the entrapment of an individual at the mine that operations. Section 103(j) orders are typically issued before MSHA has a reasonable potential to cause death. is on-site at a mine accident. They are usually issued verbally over In addition to the three types of accidents described above, 30 the phone before being reduced to writing later. Upon MSHA’s CFR 50.10(d) requires reporting of “[a]ny other accident” within 15 arrival on-site and following assessment of conditions, MSHA may minutes and 30 CFR 50.2(h) discusses many of the scenarios. modify the section 103(j) order, including all instructions, to reflect To report the accident, call MSHA’s nationwide, 24-hour call that MSHA is proceeding under the authority of section 103(k) of system at 1-800-746-1553. Prior to an accident occurring, it’s best the Mine Act. Section 103(k) of the Mine Act grants MSHA repre- to designate a single individual and two alternates as the MSHA sentatives broad power to order withdrawal from the mine and to contact person. Ensure that no one alters the accident scene or prevent entry of any person without MSHA approval. The statute resumes work at the location of the accident. With certain specific also requires an operator to obtain MSHA’s approval of recovery exclusions dealing with saving lives or protecting property, unless a operations and decisions to return mine operations to normal. A mine operator has permission from MSHA, the operator cannot section 103(k) order remains in effect until an evaluation of the alter the accident scene and must preserve it. conditions and safety practices is conducted and a determination As soon as possible following the accident, contact counsel. An is made that hazards similar to those that caused or contributed to MSHA lawyer is extremely vital in navigating you through this acci- the accident have been eliminated. dent. Counsel should review any documents and physical evidence MSHA’s accident investigations are typically conducted by a team before or while MSHA conducts its own review. Counsel can also of investigators and usually involve three phases: an on-site physical interview witnesses and ensure that a proper chain of custody is examination of the accident scene and applicable records and docu- maintained for evidence, while at the same time preserving the mentation; interviews with witnesses who have knowledge of the con- confidentiality of certain materials and information. ditions or practices that may have contributed to the accident; and analysis and testing of mining equipment or material that may have Duty to Investigate the Accident been involved in the accident. It’s important to understand that all Operators are required by section 103(d) of the Mine Act to conduct statements made to any MSHA official or documents produced to their own investigations of all immediately reportable accidents, and MSHA may be used to prove violations by the company or individuals. all occupational injuries. Under section 103(d), “records of such accidents and investigations shall be kept and the information shall After the Accident be made available to [MSHA] and the appropriate state agency.” The The investigating team may be on the mine site over a period of following information is required to be obtained, recorded and several days or weeks in order to complete the physical investiga- maintained by the mine operator for each immediately reportable tion and witness interviews. Once the investigation is complete, accident or occupational injury: (1) date and hour of occurrence; (2) the investigation team will hold a close-out conference. Eventually, date the investigation began; (3) names of individuals participating the team will submit a report recommending either no action or in the investigation; (4) a site description; (5) an explanation of the civil or criminal penalties against individuals or the company. The accident or injury, including a description of any equipment report will include MSHA’s analysis of the root cause of the acci- involved, relevant events before and after the occurrence, any expla- dent. MSHA will take other steps as well, including conducting a nation of the cause of injury, and the cause of any accident or cause “regular” but intensive inspection, concentrating on the subject of any other event which caused an injury; (6) name, occupation, areas cited as the cause(s) of the accident. Being proactive during and experience of any miner involved; (7) a sketch, where pertinent, the accident investigation and partnering with counsel will be the including dimensions depicting the occurrence; (8) a description of best way to navigate the challenges of a mining accident. steps taken to prevent a similar occurrence in the future; and (9) Linda Otaigbe is an attorney in Jackson Lewis’ Washington, D.C., identification of any report submitted under 30 CFR 50.20. region office. She focuses her practice on both general employment lit- Mine operators should be extremely careful when completing igation and workplace safety and health matters. She can be reached the report in order to avoid self-incrimination. The contents of a at 703-483-8300.

48 www.coalage.com February 2016 Improving Rock Dust applications and aiding compliance with respirable dust standards! Meets new mandatory health standards for underground coal mines as described in the Federal Program Policy Manual VOLUME V - COAL MINES Subpart E .... Combustible Materials and Rock Dusting 75.403 Maintenance of Incombustible Content of Rock Dust Section updated July 2015\ Release V-51 ... rock dust may be applied wet (including foam rock dust).

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS DYWITM Dust and DYWITM Duster System

DSI innovation brings non-combustible non-respirable rock dusting technology to the market with DYWITM Dust and DYWITM Duster applicator machines (patents pending).

DSI provides complete turnkey approaches with a one-stop shop for the DYWITM Dust and DYWITM Duster applicator machines. Before The DYWITM Dust and DYWITM Duster system combines the mine operator’s water and rock dust formed to wet dust. Then, the mix is transformed to DYWITM Dust through the batch mix of DSI Polymer Rock Dust Concentrate with the wet dust solution. After mixing, the DYWITM Dust is applied to the mine roof and ribs with the DYWITM Duster applicator machine which is a completely hydraulic-powered unit; hydraulic power is supplied by the mine operator’s scoop or mobile equipment. After DYWITM Duster machines and equipment conversions are completed by DSI recommended providers. Conversions of existing feets of wet dusting machines are available.

Contact DSI today for your mine demonstration of the DYWITM Dust and DYWITM Duster innovative solution to your rock dusting and respirable dust issues. www.dsiunderground.com

Martinsburg, WV USA Phone: (800) 332-3308

E-Mail: dsiunderground @dsiunderground.com