Rhoads Mine is a surface mine which utilizes contour mining methods.

Materials Handling and Coal Preparation.
Raw coal produced from the mine is currently delivered by truck to the Cambria and Shade coal preparation facilities. In addition to the Cambria and Shade plants, Corsa has the Rockwood plant on care-and-maintenance status which can be reactivated in the future when production level exceeds the capacity at the Cambria and Shade plants.

Some raw coal produced from the mine is shipped directly to the customer on a raw basis or blended with processed or purchased coal, depending on coal quality and specific customer requirements. Corsa preparation facilities have raw coal handling systems consisting of a rotary breaker and screen used to remove large rock and size raw coal. Raw coal is then shipping on a raw basis or blended with washed coals from the preparation plant.


Raw coal to be processed is stockpiled, then loaded by a wheel-loader into a hopper for conveyor transport into the coal preparation plant.