Summary:
The coal seams on the Elk Creek Complex are Carboniferous in age and form part of the Kanawha Formation of the Pennsylvanian System. Typical strata consist largely of sandstone, sandy shale and shale, with beds of coal. The property is located in the CAPP region of the United States. Coal deposits in this region have long supported production for the domestic and international metallurgical and thermal coal markets. The coal seams within the Elk Creek Complex are known for very high calorific value (Btu/lb)and high volatile metallurgical coal characteristics, with high fluidity, low ash content, and medium sulfur content.
The coal seams underlying the property are gently folded, with no major faults or structural anomalies identified in the general area. The strata dip gently to the northwest at approximately two degrees. Depth to the coalseams varies by topography and specific coalseam, ranging from approximately 470 feet to 1,050 feet. Generally, the strata consist primarily of sandstone and shale layers over the area.
The 26 primary coal seams of interest on the Elk Creek Complex, in descending stratigraphic order, are the Buffalo Creek 5, Winifrede, Chilton A, Upper Dorothy Rider, Upper Dorothy 1, 2, 3, and 4, Middle Dorothy, Lower Dorothy, Williamson, Upper Cedar Grove A, Upper Cedar Grove, Lower Cedar Grove A, Lower Cedar Grove B, Lower Cedar Grove C, Upper and LowerAlma, Powellton, Eagle, No. 2 Gas Rider, No. 2 Gas, Bens Creek 1, 2 and 3, Cedar, Lower War Eagle, Glenalum Tunnel, and Gilbert. The seams are relatively thin (usually less than four feet in thickness individually), conformable, and continuous.
Several of the coal seams within the Elk Creek Complex occur in multiple benches. In some places, the interburden between benches is thin enough to allow the mining of multiple benches. This usually involves mining some parting, which is removed during processing at the preparation plant.
Deposit Type
The Elk Creek Complex resource area is a relatively flat-lying, sedimentary deposit of Pennsylvanian Age. Ramaco is actively mining multiple coal seams, including the Chilton A, Upper Dorothy, Middle Dorothy, Upper Cedar Grove, Lower Cedar Grove, Upper Alma, Lower Alma, Eagle and the No. 2 Gas at the Elk Creek Complex. Exploration consists of core drilling for all the mineable seams, which is performed each year in advance of mining, to refine the resource boundary and to define limits of the mine plans.