Mine 78 is an underground mine which develops upper Kittanning coal seam utilizing room-and-pillar mining method.
Mine 78 is opened into the Upper Kittanning and Upper Freeport coal seams through three dris has three mechanized mining units (MMUs). Coal is produced using a continuous mining machine (ripper) and a continuous haulage system. The mine normally operates 2 production shift per day, five to six days per week. The mine produces an average of 2800 tons of raw coal per day. Coal is transported from the underground section to the surface coal handling facility via a series of underground and surface conveyor belts.
In 2021, Rosebud Mining Company applied for a new surface coal and auger mining permit to be known as the Mine 78 No. 3 Mine. The proposed location is in Richland Township, Cambria County and Paint Township, Somerset County.
On March 25, 2022, DEP issued the Surface Mining Permit (SMP).
The Mine 78 Surface No. 3 Mine will have multiple seams with activities wihtin 500 feet of the active Mine 78 (Upper Kittanning Seam) underground mine and within 500 feet of the abandoned Yost (Upper Freeport Seam) underground mine. A breakdown of activities by seam is as follows;
Middle Kittanning Coal Seam; auger mining will be conducted within 500 feet of an abandoned portion of the active Mine 78 site and within 500 feet of and beneath portions of the abandoned Yost Mine. The overburden interval between that Middle K ........