The Acosta includes Acosta MK (Middle Kittanning), Acosta LK (Lower Kittanning), Acosta UK (Upper Kittanning) mines.
The Acosta mine is an underground mine utilizing the room and pillar mining method.
Production in Acosta will be expanded to include up to 3 seams, with generally no more than 2 of the 3 seams being mined simultaneously at any given time.
Acosta MK mine
The Acosta MK mine is an active mine in the Middle Kittanning seam which is accessed via box cut entry along the outcrop. This mine is a metallurgical coal operation on leased mineral property.
Production is scheduled for 255 days each year, which represents production on Monday through Friday. On each day, two production sections are scheduled to produce coal on two shifts; the third shift is reserved for maintenance and mine conveyor belt and power moves. The sections are configured as regular sections with one continuous miner available for production on each section. Productivity is planned at the rate of 210 feet of advance per shift of operation. A total of 96 employees are assigned to the mine during steady state production.
Principal production equipment includes two continuous miners, four roof bolters, two continuous haulage systems, and two scoops. Coal is extracted from the production face with the continuous miner and hauled to the mine conveyor via continuous haulage. At the conveyor belt, the coal is discharged from the haulage units on ........
