Additional Heavy-media Cyclone Circuit Recovers More Coal
Using a design-build contract, Industrial Resources upgrades an existing circuit and builds an...
When Old Beats New
Suppliers say reman exchange programs are on the rise primarily because the products are superior...
Moving Overburden Efficiently, Sustainably
The latest innovations from suppliers speak to both persistent and emergent challenges by jesse...
Automated Coal Seam Identif ication Improves Drilling and Blasting Programs
by stefano pramano and alyssa wedler Identifying coal seams at open-pit mines can be challenging...
The Transition to Lower Emissions Strategies
Researchers look to improve the design and efficiency of future plants by steve fiscor,...
Longwalls Lead the Way Underground
US coal operators turn to technology to improve productivity by steve fiscor, editor-in-chief...
US Coal Operators Protect Against COVID-19
By Steve Fiscor The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated mining as critical to U.S. infrastructure. While that means that coal suppliers can continue to operate mines during the coronavirus (COVID-19)...
Coronado Temporarily Suspends US Production
In response to an economic downturn in Europe, Brazil and the United States, Coronado Global Resources is temporarily idling its U.S. operations. The company will continue shipments to these regions from existing inventories of...
WVDEP Files Suit Against ERP Environmental Fund
On March 26, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) filed suit against ERP Environmental Fund Inc., the company that acquired more than 100 mining permits out of Patriot Coal Corp.’s bankruptcy in...
Virginia Clean Economy Act Heads to the Governor’s Desk
The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate agreed to a final version of the Virginia Clean Economy Act. It will make Virginia’s electric grid carbon-free by 2045 while also incorporating stronger protections for electric utility...
Hartshorne Files Bankruptcy, Seeks to Sell Poplar Grove
In mid-February, Hartshorne Mining Group LLC and its U.S. affiliates filed for chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The wholly owned subsidiary of Australia-based Paringa Resources, said...
Peabody, Arch Pursue Joint Venture
During February, Peabody and Arch Coal announced that they intend to continue to pursue the creation of a joint venture that will “strengthen coal’s competitiveness with other energy sources and create substantial value for...
Indonesia’s PT Bukit Asam Invests in Power Project and Infrastructure
Indonesian state coal miner PT Bukit Asam has allocated $283 million in capital expenditure for 2020, most of which will go into developing a power plant and coal transportation infrastructure, according to the Jakarta Post....
Shanghai Electric Advances Power Project in Pakistan
China’s Shanghai Electric struck a deal for a coal-fired power project, the Thar Block-1 Integrated Coal Mine Power, in Pakistan. The mine is expected to produce 7.8 million metric tons per year (mt/y) of coal, which will feed...
CR Digital Acquires Thunderbird Mining Systems
CR Digital announced it will acquire Thunderbird Mining Systems in a transaction that expands CR Digital’s product offering, IP, sales/marketing and technical support activities. Damian Assaillit, head of CR Digital, welcomed...
Jennmar Launches XCAL
JENNMAR announced that it plans to rebrand TungsteMet as XCAL Industries (www.xcalindustries.com), which manufactures tungsten carbide blanks. The company also announced it would form XCAL Tools (www.xcaltools.com) to...
Paul’s Fan Expands
Paul’s Fan Co. is growing and it is relocating to the Southern Gap Industrial Park shell building now under construction in Buchanan County, Virginia. It and the 40 new full-time jobs it is projected to create were celebrated...
Laser Mapping Gyro
Carlson recently announced the C-ALS laser system, which provides safe, quick, and reliable mapping capabilities for inaccessible underground cavities. Deployable via boreholes on cable or rods, via a boom, or on a zip-wire, the...
Machine Mounted Methane Monitor
Matrix Design Group announced that the M5 Machine Mounted Methane Monitor has received MSHA approval and is now available in the US. M5 is the next-generation system from Monitech Mine Monitoring Systems of South Africa and...
Wheel Loader Monitoring System
After 18 months of successful field trials conducted across three Western Australian mine sites, MineWare recently announced the launch of its Argus Wheel Loader (WL) system — an OEM independent wheel loader monitoring system...
Industry Implements COVID-19 Actions Plans
The coronavirus (COVID-19) has up-ended everyday life for everyone as it spreads throughout the world. Mining Media International (MMI) publishes Coal Age and it has taken the necessary precautions to keep day-to-day business...
2020: An Inflection Point
Welcome to the combined January-February 2020 edition of Coal Age. This is a popular edition because it carries the Annual Forecast and the U.S. Longwall Census. It also provides the year-end production statistics in addition to...
Abrasion-resistant Materials Protect High-wear Zones
New kit allows miners to prolong replacement times and increase availability by steve fiscor, editor-in-chief Mining is a constant battle that pits steel against rock. Whether it’s the dipper on the shovel crowding the face or...
Frustrated with Diesel Particulate Filters?
by steve fiscor, editor-in-chief With all the advances in emission controls, diesel particulate filters (DPFs) can be found almost anywhere a new diesel engine is operating today. The systems work well for trapping soot, but...
Improved Access Reduces Conveyor Maintenance Time
Virtually every vehicle on the road today is designed with a hood that can be easily opened for access to the engine, so mechanics can perform routine service and diagnose/address problems that arise during its lifespan....
Met Coal Market Will Grow From 2020 to 2024
The metallurgical coal market is poised to grow by $14.91 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 2% during the forecast period, according to Technavio. The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation...
Peabody Lowers Costs, Considers Options for North Goonyella
Peabody Energy announced its year-end operating results. Full-year 2019 revenues totaled $4.62 billion compared to $5.58 billion in the prior year on an 11% decline in production and lower pricing. The company posted a full-year...
Chinese Coal Mines Resume Production
China has resumed 83.4% of its coal production capacity amid the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to the Chinese Energy Administration. All coal mines outside Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak,...
Anderson Shares NETL’s Decarbonization Work at MIT Energy Initiative
National Energy Technology Lab Director Brian Anderson recently shared the lab’s contributions in addressing America’s long-term energy challenges while retaining environmental integrity at a gathering of the Massachusetts...
X-MAT Wins DOE Contract for Battery Research
West Virginia coal could be playing a greater role in powering phones or cars. X-MAT, the Advanced Materials Division of Semplastics, is working on breakthrough technology to take clean coal and use it for batteries. Along with...
DOE Will Award $6.3M for University Training, Research for Fossil Energy Applications
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy (FE) announced approximately $6.3 million in federal funding for research and development projects under the funding opportunity announcement (FOA), University Training and...
VCEA 2019 Excellence in Mining Awards Presented
A total of 11 awards of excellence were presented to Southwest Virginia coal companies during the Virginia Coal and Energy Alliance’s 48th annual Fall Meeting and “Excellence In Mining Awards,” recently at the Russell County...
Contura Subsidiary Receives National Reclamation Award
Contura Energy announced that one of its affiliate operations, Paramont Contura LLC’s 88 Strip surface mine, earned the 2019 Outstanding Reclamation Award in the coal category given by the National Association of State Land...
The ‘Most Critical’ Technology
Early this March, International Energy Agency Director Fatih Birol testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Asked what technology is most essential to tackling emissions, he didn’t mince words. “If I...
For Global Energy Leadership, Think Coal FIRST
by conor bernstein What does the coal plant of the future look like? For too many people, the answer is that we don’t need new coal technology nor a new generation of plants. That line of thinking is a huge mistake. Too many...
Quaker Houghton
Calvin R. Kidd, with Quaker Houghton, has retired after serving the coal industry for 53 years. He joined Quaker Chemical immediately following MINExpo 2012 as director for business development in the Mining Division. A Calvin...
Institute for Energy Research (IER)
The Institute for Energy Research (IER) announced David Kreutzer will be joining its organization as a senior economist. From 1984 until 2007, Kreutzer taught economics at James Madison University, where he also served as...
Responsibly Responding to COVID-19 by donna pryor
by donna pryor Shelter-in-place strategies to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has disrupted the U.S. workplace. However, unlike a typical office environment, mines cannot operate without employees on property....
2020 Hindsight
Looking back at 2019, I can see that we achieved yet another record low of 24 fatalities for the year. We have no matching work hour data to determine actual rates, rather than raw numbers, but even so, any reduction in...
