On January 14, 2025, CONSOL Energy Inc. completed its previously announced all-stock merger of equals transaction (the “Merger”) with Arch Resources, Inc., pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 20, 2024, by and among CONSOL Energy Inc., Mountain Range Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of CONSOL Energy Inc. (“Merger Sub”), and Arch. Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub merged with and into Arch, with Arch continuing as the surviving corporation and as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Additionally, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Company was renamed “Core Natural Resources, Inc.” and began trading under the ticker symbol “CNR” on January 15, 2025.
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Summary:
The Itmann coal mine (IMC) is situated in the Allegheny Plateau of the CAPP coal fields region. Near-surface geology of this area primarily consists of Pennsylvanian coal-bearing strata. Coal seams mined in this region are generally classified as low-to-high-volatile bituminous in rank, characterized by low-to-medium sulfur content and high heating value.
Pennsylvanian Age sedimentary strata of the lower Pottsville Group comprise the majority of the stratigraphic units in and around the Itmann and Tug Fork properties. More specifically, the overlying strata include bedrock and coal seams contained in the Pocahontas Formation and the New River Formation, in order of deposition.
Presently, there are three seams of economic interest at the IMC—the P3 and P4 seams on the Itmann Property, and the Sewell Seam on the Tug Fork Property. All three seams are generally characterized as being: greater than 34-in. thick, free of significant waste partings, flat or shallow dipping, and relatively unaffected by faulting or folding. As such, the coal seams are considered to be of low geologic complexity.
The washed Itmann coal product is characterized as a high-rank, low-volatile bituminous, low-ash, low-sulfur coal exhibiting premium coking qualities.
Pocahontas Formation
The Pocahontas Formation is characterized predominantly by sandstone sequences, containing varying amounts of shales, siltstones, and coal beds. The coal beds are appropriately named the Pocahontas Coals, ranging from the lower-most Pocahontas No.1 coal seam, through the upper-most Pocahontas No. 7 coal seam. Unconformities are present at both the bottom and top of the Pocahontas Formation, with overall thicknesses generally ranging from approximately 400 ft to 700 ft. Many of the Pocahontas coal seams have been, and continue to be, mined in and around the study area.
New River Formation
The New River Formation is comprised predominantly of sandstones with grey/dark-grey shale beds, siltstones, and coals. The major coal beds in the New River Formation range from the upper-most Pocahontas coal seams (No. 8 and No. 9), the Fire Creek, War Creek, Raleigh, Seaboard, and Sewell seams and their various splits and riders. In total, the New River Formation contains approximately 20 known coal beds. In the immediate study area, the thickness of the New River Formation increases from the northern portion of the state, reaching over 900 ft thick locally.
The P3 Seam is the predominant coal seam of significant economic interest for CONSOL within the Itmann Property. Historically, the P3 Seam has been one of the most important coal seams of the CAPP coalfields, due to its thickness and metallurgical properties. To a lesser extent, the overlying P4 Seam is also of economic interest for CONSOL within the Itmann Property. The Sewell Seam is the only coal seam of economic interest controlled by CONSOL within the Tug Fork Property.
Pocahontas No. 3 Seam
The P3 Seam coal bed outcrops at the southeastern portion of the Itmann Property, near the Guyandotte River, in the area where the mine portal box cut is located. Maximum depth of cover reaches over 1,400 ft in the northwestern portion of the property, as the seam generally dips towards the northwest, at less than two degrees on average. There are not any major structural faulting or tectonic features known to occur within the deposit. Small-displacement faults and compaction-related faults may be present but are not expected to materially affect mining operations.
The structural setting for the P3 Seam is generally considered to be simple in terms of geological complexity, as thickness and structure are relatively consistent as indicated by drilling data.
Pocahontas No. 4 Seam
The P4 Seam lies 40 to 108 ft above the P3 Seam and also outcrops at the southeastern portion of the Itmann Property, near the Guyandotte River. Maximum depth of cover reaches over 1,300 ft in the northwestern portion of the property, as the seam generally dips towards the northwest, at less than two degrees on average. There are no major structural faulting or tectonic features known to occur within the deposit. Small-displacement faults and compaction-related faults may be present but are not expected to materially affect mining operations.
The structural setting for the P4 Seam is generally considered to be simple in terms of geological complexity, as thickness and structure are relatively consistent as indicated by drilling data.
Sewell Seam
The Sewell coal bed outcrops along the Tug Fork River, which bounds the eastern and southern portions of the Tug Fork Property. Maximum depth of cove ft in the northern portion of the property, as the seam generally dips towards the northwest at less than two degrees on average. There are not any major structural faulting or tectonic features known to occur within the deposit. Small-displacement faults and compaction-related faults may be present but are not expected to materially affect mining operations.
The structural setting for the Sewell Seam is generally considered to be simple in terms of geological complexity, as thickness and structure are relatively consistent as indicated by drilling data.