Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Continuous
- Room-and-pillar
|
Mine Life | 2026 |
Source:
p. 1
Arch Resources took more steps toward its transition toward metallurgical coal markets by contributing its Viper thermal mine in Illinois to Knight Hawk Coal, which will operate the mine going forward. As part of the transaction, Arch’s equity stake in Knight Hawk increased to 49.5% from 48%, and Knight Hawk assumed long-term undiscounted mine closure liabilities totaling $21 million.
Contractors
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Mining Methods
- Continuous
- Room-and-pillar
Summary:
Our underground mines are typically operated using one or both of two different mining techniques: longwall mining and room-and-pillar mining.
Room and pillar mining is effective for small blocks of thin coal seams. In room and pillar mining, a network of rooms is cut into the coal seam, leaving a series of pillars of coal to support the roof of the mine. Continuous miners are used to cut the coal and shuttle cars are used to transport the coal to a conveyor belt for further transportation to the surface. The pillars generated as part of this mining method can constitute up to 40% of the total coal in a seam. Higher seam recovery rates can be achieved if retreat mining is used. In retreat mining, coal is mined from the pillars as workers retreat. As retreat mining occurs, the roof is allowed to collapse in a controlled fashion.
Source:
Summary:

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Production:
Commodity | Units | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Coal (thermal)
|
M tons
| ......  | ......  | ......  | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
All production numbers are expressed as clean coal.
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Reserves at December 31, 2019:
Category | Tonnage | Commodity |
Proven & Probable
|
40.4 M tons
|
Coal (thermal)
|
Type | Material | Diameter | Length | Description |
Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2020:
HME Type |
Continuous Miner
|
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