The surface mine, dedicated November 3, will be operated by North American Coal Corp., a subsidiary of Caddo Creek Resources. It was operational November 1 and is expected to produce lignite by the end of the year.
It did not disclose the mine’s prime production goals.
The mine is part of Cabot’s strategic plan to assure long-term supply of high-quality activated carbon for the anticipated quadrupling of demand by coal-fired utilities, officials said. In preparation for operations, the company obtained an 8-million-lb dragline to provide an economic advantage over the traditional truck and shovel.
Patrick Prevost, president and CEO of Cabot, called the mine opening a significant milestone.
“We see this as not only a great opportunity for Cabot, but also an opportunity for regional development,” he said. “We have utilized lignite coal to produce our high-quality activated carbon since 1921. With this latest strategic investment, we are able to provide our customers with a strong assurance that we can supply our own raw materials and further ensure that we can provide superior, consistent and reliable solutions to meet our customers’ purification needs. The mine affords us unparalleled supply chain security and further extends our leadership position in the mercury emission control segment.”
As a leading supplier of activated carbon, Cabot said it is well positioned to be a strategic partner to coal-fired power plant owners and operators in mercury emission control both now and in the future. Cabot is the only activated carbon manufacturer with multiple manufacturing sites dedicated to the application in North America.
“This operation will provide a long-term, reliable supply of high-quality lignite coal for Cabot to produce the finest activated carbon products,” said Bob Benson, president and CEO of North American Coal.
