The coal deposits in the eastern USA are the oldest and most extensively developed coal deposits in the country. The coal-bearing formations on the properties are Carboniferous in age, being in the Pennsylvanian system, which includes the Monongahela, Conemaugh, Alleghany, and Upper Pottsville groups. These coal-bearing formations contain two-fifths of the nation’s bituminous coal deposits, extend over 900 miles from northern Alabama to Pennsylvania, and are part of what is known as the Appalachian Basin. The Appalachian Basin is more than 250 miles wide and, in some portions, contains over 60 coal seams of varying economic significance. Seams are typically between 1 foot and 6 feet in thickness, with relatively little structural deformation. Coal in the region is classified as high- to lowvolatile bituminous with rank increasing to the east. Coals are typically characterized as low to medium sulfur and high heat content.

Seams in which reserves and/or resources are reported by Corsa include the following (in descending stratigraphic order). Within each seam, there may be multiple benches consisting of riders (overlying the main seam), leaders (underlying the main seam), and splits (where main seam separates into two or more benches).

Corsa reserves and resources are found primarily within four Pennsylvanian-age coal-bearing formations: Pittsburgh, Glenshaw, Allegheny, and Pottsville.

Monongahela Group.
The Monongahela Group is named ........

Mining Methods.
The resource base for the NAPP Division Properties consists of eight coal seams extending from the Sewickley coal seam at the top of the stratigraphic column down through the Brookville coal seam. The majority of the resource tons occurs in the coal seams from the Upper Freeport to the Lower Kittanning. The topographic location of the many coal seams and the physical characteristics of the coal seams provide abundant opportunities to apply several of the coal mining methods routinely employed in Northern Appalachia.

Coal seams that outcrop along the hillside or that are located near the surface may be considered for surface mining methods including, contour and/or area removal. The surface mining methods allow recovery of resources that lie close to the surface and are not suitable for safe underground mining. Coal seams that are too thin to be underground mined economically can often be recovered successfully with surface mining methods. Contour mines advance along the coal seam outcrops with overburden backstacked in the pit to eliminate the highwall. The proposed mine plan and financial model forecast approximately 2.4 million surface/auger tons; however, only 1.1 million surface/auger-mineable tons were determined to be economical for inclusion as reserves.

Underground reserves are mined using continuous mining room and pillar methods. Production sections are configured as single-unit sections, employing one continuous miner an ........

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