Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Longwall
- Continuous
- Room-and-pillar
|
Mine Life | 2024 |
Arch has sold forward nearly all of the projected 2023 and 2024 domestic sales volumes for the West Elk mine in Colorado, at prices that will provide a very solid and profitable baseload of business. |
Source:
p. 62
Mountain Coal Company, LLC is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc.
Contractors
Contractor | Contract | Description | Ref. Date | Expiry | Source |
Union Pacific Railroad
|
Haulage
|
Shipment of coal for customers via the Union Pacific railroad.
|
Dec 31, 2022
|
|
|
Summary:
The West Elk mining complex extracts thermal coal from the E seam. West Elk is currently working on developing the B seam at the complex.
Mining Methods
- Longwall
- Continuous
- Room-and-pillar
Source:
Summary:
West Elk is an underground mining complex located s in Gunnison County, Colorado. The West Elk mining complex extracts thermal coal from the E seam and currently working on developing the B seam at the complex.
West Elk complex currently consists of a longwall, continuous miner sections and a loadout facility.
Longwall mining involves using a mechanical shearer to extract coal from long rectangular blocks of medium to thick seams. Ultimate seam recovery using longwall mining techniques can exceed 75%. In longwall mining, continuous miners are used to develop access to these long rectangular coal blocks. Hydraulically powered supports temporarily hold up the roof of the mine while a rotating drum mechanically advances across the face of the coal seam, cutting the coal from the face. Chain conveyors then move the loosened coal to an underground mine conveyor system for delivery to the surface. Once coal is extracted from an area, the roof is allowed to collapse in a controlled fashion.
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:
Raw coal from West Elk mine is shipping directly via the Union Pacific railroad. When required to improve the quality of some of our coal production, it is processed through the 800 ton-per-hour preparation plant. The loadout facility can load an 11,000-ton train in less than three hours.
Production:
Commodity | Units | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Coal (thermal)
|
M tons
| 4.3 | 3 | 2.5 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4 |
All production numbers are expressed as ROM coal.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Coal tonnes mined
| 4,355,703 tons | 3,272,864 tons | 2,538,091 tons | 4,079,345 tons | 4,674,833 tons | 4,821,281 tons |
Hourly processing capacity
| 800 tons | | | | | |
Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Marketable Coal |
Proven
|
M tons
|
Coal (thermal)
|
43.5 M tons
|
Probable
|
M tons
|
Coal (thermal)
|
4.6 M tons
|
Proven & Probable
|
M tons
|
Coal (thermal)
|
48.1 M tons
|
Type | Material | Diameter | Length | Description |
Heavy Mobile Equipment as of January 29, 2023:
Source:
p.1
HME Type | Model | Quantity |
Shearer
|
Komatsu Joy 7LS5
|
1
|
Mine Management:
Job Title | Name | Profile | Ref. Date |
General Manager
|
Weston Norris
|
|
May 23, 2023
|
President and CEO
|
Paul Lang
|
|
May 23, 2023
|
Staff:
Total Workforce | Year |
322
|
2022
|
254
|
2021
|
320
|
2020
|
348
|
2019
|
299
|
2018
|
266
|
2017
|
261
|
2016
|
367
|
2015
|
351
|
2014
|
358
|
2013
|
368
|
2012
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations: