Mining Intelligence and News
United States

Buchanan Mine

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Summary

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Coal (metallurgical)
Mining Method
  • Longwall
  • Continuous
Production Start1983
Mine Life2043
SnapshotBuchanan is an active underground mining property producing primarily Low-Vol HCC coal, with an additional premium Low-Vol PCI product.

The ongoing Buchanan expansion is on schedule to be fully operational by June 2025, aiming to increase production volume and efficiency through enhanced storage and hoisting capacity.

Construction of a second set of skips is progressing, with shaft excavation and concrete lining complete. Since January 2024, production from the additional Southern Longwall District has begun, and the expanded coal stockpile is expected to further improve productivity.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnershipInvestor's Info
Coronado Global Resources Inc. 100 % Indirect
Buchanan Minerals, LLC (operator) 100 % Direct
Buchanan Mine is owned and operated by Buchanan Minerals, LLC wholly-owned subsidiary of Coronado Global Resources Inc.

Contractors

ContractorContractDescriptionRef. DateSource
American Electric Power Company, Inc. Power supply Electricity is sourced from the American Electric Power Company. Dec 31, 2024

Deposit type

  • Sedimentary

Summary:

The Buchanan mine extracts coal from the Pocahontas #3 seam of the Pennsylvanian-age Pocahontas Formation, which is the principal minable coal seam of that formation. The seam thickness averages 1.57 meters within the mining area.

The Property lies in the Central Appalachian Coal basin in the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province.

The coal deposits in the eastern US are the oldest and most extensively developed coal deposits in the country. The coal deposits on the Property are Carboniferous in age, being of the Pennsylvanian system. Overall, these Carboniferous coals contain two-fifths of the US’s bituminous coal deposits and extend over 1,448 kilometers from northern Alabama to Pennsylvania and are part of what is known as the Appalachian Basin. The Appalachian Basin is more than 402 kilometers wide and, in some portions, contains over 60 coal seams of varying economic significance.

Seams of economic significance typically range between 0.30 meters and 1.83 meters in thickness, with relatively little structural deformation. Regional structure is typically characterized by gently dipping strata to the northwest at less than one percent.

Seams of the Pocahontas Formation have historically been mined in the Buchanan No. 1 Mine with the Pocahontas No. 3 seam being the principal seam in the formation. Coal from the area has historically sold in primarily metallurgical markets.

The coal produced at Buchanan No. 1 is typically low volatile (<23% volatile matter) bituminous coal. Due to the value of the Pocahontas No. 3 (P3) as a low-volatile coking coal, it has been extensively mined in the region.

Multiple seams make up the P3 horizon in the projections for the Property. The P31, P32, P33, and 345, all individual splits of the P3 horizon, are present on the Property and the projected areas. The mineable bench in the P3 horizon consists of various configurations of the seams, depending on thickness and relative location, as seam splitting does occur in various parts of the Property.

The various bench configurations are:
1) full-seam bench (P31, P32, P33, and 345), also known as the P3 bench;
2) P31, P32, P33 bench; and
3) P32, P33, and 345 benches.

The full-seam bench (P3) thickness ranges from 1.22 to 3.44 meters with an average of 1.86 meters, the P31, P32, P33 bench thickness ranges from 1.22 to 2.10 meters with an average of 1.43 meters, and the P32, P33, 345 bench thickness ranges from 1.22 to 2.71 meters with an average of 1.65 meters. The seam is situated below drainage throughout the Property and is accessible by existing mine shafts. Floor and roof strata vary throughout the projected mine area with floor strata including fireclay, claystone, shale, sandy shale, and sandstone, but primarily being fireclay and shale. Roof strata varies throughout as well but primarily is composed of sandstone, sandy shale, and shale.

Reserves at December 31, 2024



Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
CategoryTonnage CommodityMarketable Coal
Proven 156.8 Mt Coal (metallurgical) 77.6 M wmt
Probable 12.4 Mt Coal (metallurgical) 5.8 M wmt
Proven & Probable 169.1 Mt Coal (metallurgical) 83.4 M wmt
Measured 171.2 Mt Coal (metallurgical)
Indicated 18.5 Mt Coal (metallurgical)
Measured & Indicated 189.7 Mt Coal (metallurgical)

Mining Methods

  • Longwall
  • Continuous

Summary:

Buchanan is a production-stage mining property, consisting of one active underground mine and supporting infrastructure that produces Low-Vol Met coal using the longwall mining method.

The Buchanan mine extracts coal from the Pocahontas #3 seam of the Pennsylvanian-age Pocahontas Formation, which is the principal minable coal seam of that formation. The seam is situated below drainage throughout the property and is accessed by vertical shafts. The seam thickness averages 1.57 meters within the mining area.

Longwall production is scheduled for approximately 295 to 312 days each year, representing production on Monday through Saturday with allowances for holidays and longwall moves. On each day, the continuous mining sections and longwall produce coal on three shifts. The sections are configured as regular sections with one continuous miner available for production on each section. Productivity is planned at the rate of 18.8 to 20.7 meters of advance per shift for the continuous miner sections, and 5.18 to 7.92 meters per shift of longwall retreat.

Buchanan had six operating continuous miner sections that were used to develop main entries and gate roads in preparation for the longwall, with plans to operate a seventh section beginning in 2026.

The longwall shearing machine is used for extraction of coal at the production face. A chain conveyor removes coal from the longwall face for discharge onto the conveyor belt, which ultimately delivers it to an underground storage bunker. Development for the longwall is conducted by the extraction of coal from the production faces using continuous miners and haulage using shuttle cars to a feeder breaker located at the tail of the section conveyor belt. The feeder breaker crushes large pieces of coal and rock and regulates coal feed onto the mine conveyor. Roof-bolting machines support the roof on the development sections of the longwall mines. Battery scoops are available to clean the mine entries and assist in delivery of mine supplies to work areas.

Mine conveyors typically range in width up to 1.83 meters. Multiple belt flights are arranged in series to deliver raw coal to underground storage. Along the main and sub-main entries and panels, a travel way is provided for personnel and materials by rubber-tired equipment or on rail.

The Buchanan mine currently extracts coal using two longwall systems supported by six continuous miner sections, which develop main entries and gate roads in preparation for the longwall. A seventh continuous miner section is expected to begin in 2026. Each continuous miner section is equipped with one or two continuous miners, two roof bolters, and two or three coal haulage units.

The Buchanan mine complex uses a skip hoist system to lift raw coal to the surface.

Buchanan Expansion
Expansion program is expected to increase the number of connuous miner secons to seven by calendar year 2026.

The expansion project at Buchanan continued per plan during the March quarter 2025 while maintaining the expected commissioning dates during June quarter 2025.

The project is ~90% complete.

The project completion date is expected to be June 2025 which is on budget. The expansion is expected to reduce costs, increase production above levels that were achieved at the time Coronado acquired Buchanan and ensures a long (20+ years) life.

Once at full capacity, 1.0 Mtpa incremental product Met Coal is expected.

The Buchanan expansion is planned to be a major contributor to our U.S. target of 7 million tonnes saleable production per year. Progress on the Buchanan expansion project is on track to be fully operational in June 2025 and is expected to increase tonnage and productivity through expanded storage and hoisting capacity, delivering a significant boost in saleable production. The construction of a second set of skips is moving forward, with shaft excavation and concrete lining now finished. With the additional Southern Longwall District in production since January 2024, the expanded coal stockpile space is expected to drive further productivity improvements.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Ref. Date: December 31, 2024

SourceSource
HME TypeQuantityStatus
Bolter 12 Existing
Continuous Miner 6 Existing
Continuous Miner 1 Required
Shuttle car 12 Existing

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

  • Wash plant
  • Vacuum filtration
  • CHPP
  • Flotation
  • Dense media separation
  • Dewatering

Summary:

The Buchanan Plant operates at a feed rate of approximately 1,270 raw tonnes per hour (tph). Coarse material is washed in a heavy medium vessel, intermediate-size material is washed in heavy medium cyclones, and fine material is washed using froth flotation. These processes are supported by the requisite screens, centrifuges, vacuum filters, sumps, pumps, and distribution systems. Processes and equipment are typical of those used in the coal industry and are in use in nearly all plants in the Central Appalachian Basin.

Coronado’s 2023 long-term production forecast included the construction of a new coal preparation plant at Buchanan and associated coal production volumes; however, this has been removed from the 2024 production forecast due to the lower pricing environment and to allow for additional option analysis. A new plant remains under consideration, and as such, future production volume forecasts will be re-evaluated and updated to reflect any corresponding capacity increases.

The Buchanan Preparation Plant services the mine via a skip hoist and conveyor belt system, which transports extracted coal from an underground bunker to the surface facility. The NS rail line serves as the main means of transport from the mine.

Water Supply

Summary:

The mine complex sources water from streams that flow over Company-owned property. The mine also utilizes ground water from an old abandoned mine.

Commodity Production

CommodityUnits20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Coal (metallurgical) Mt 4.3 ^3.5 3.6 3.9 4.4 3.4 4.5 4.7 4.9 4.5 
All production numbers are expressed as clean coal. ^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics202520242023202220212020201920182017
Coal tonnes mined 8 Mt ^7.4 Mt6.6 Mt7.1 Mt7.2 Mt5.8 Mt6.9 Mt7.3 Mt7.3 Mt
Hourly processing capacity 1,270 t1,270 t1,270 t1,270 t
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Production Costs

CommodityUnits202520192018
Cash costs (sold) Coal (metallurgical) USD 52.2 / t   61.6 / t  
Total cash costs Coal (metallurgical) USD 91.7 / t ^  
Total cash costs (sold) Coal (metallurgical) USD
Operating margin Coal (metallurgical) USD
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Mine Financials

Units202520242023202220212020201920182017
Capital expenditures (planned) M USD 106.6  
Capital expenditures M USD 52.5   33.2   35.3  
Revenue M USD 405.4   510.4   465  
After-tax Income M USD 107   130.7   170.2  
EBITDA M USD 185.6   212.5   211.2  
Book Value M USD 533.5  464.7  387.6  367  385   374  

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
Commercial Manager Sean VanDyke LinkedIn May 2, 2025
Purchasing Manager Chris Stover LinkedIn May 2, 2025
VP Safety Aaron Price LinkedIn May 2, 2025

Workforce

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
710 11 721 2024
695 34 729 2023
639 639 2022
573 573 2021
544 544 2020
580 2019
591 2018
564 2017
469 2016

Aerial view: