Mining Intelligence and News
United States

Cordero Rojo Mine

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Coal (thermal)
Mining Method
  • Dragline
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotThe Cordero Rojo Mine produces subbituminous thermal coal with low sulfur content.

The permitted mining capacity is 65 million tons per year in conjunction with the Caballo Rojo loadout.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Navajo Transitional Energy Company, LLC (operator) 100 % Indirect
The Cordero Rojo Mine is owned and operated by the Navajo Transitional Energy Company, LLC.

Deposit type

  • Sedimentary

Summary:

The Cordero Rojo Mine extracts thermal coal from the Wyodak Seam, which ranges from approximately 55 to 70 feet in thickness.

General Geology and Coal Resources
Stratigraphic units include, in descending order recent (Quaternary age) alluvial and eolian deposits, the Eocene age Wasatch Formation (the overburden), and the Paleocene age Fort Union Formation (which contains the target coal seam).

Surficial deposits in the general analysis area include alluvial and eolian deposits and weathered Wasatch Formation. Alluvial deposits occupy the Belle Fourche River valley and the lower portions of tributary draws where they join the river.

The Eocene Wasatch Formation forms most of the overburden in the general analysis area. The boundary between the Wasatch Formation and the underlying Paleocene Fort Union Formation is not distinct. From a practical standpoint, the top of the mineable coal zone is considered as the contact between the two formations. The regional dip in this area is to the west; as a result, the overburden thickness is generally thinner to the east and increases to the west.

The Fort Union Formation is divided into three members: the Tongue River, the Lebo, and the Tullock, in descending order.

The mineable coal seams in the Powder River Basin are part of the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union. At the Cordero Rojo Mine there is one mineable coal seam. Locally, this coal zone is referred to as either the Wyodak or the Wyodak-Anderson. Up to five noncoal splits or partings occur within the seam, but they are typically local, discontinuous lenses of carbonaceous clay or shale that are less than one ft thick.

The Fort Union coal seams are subbituminous and are generally lowsulfur, low-ash coals. Typically, the coal being mined in the Powder River Basin has a higher heating value and lower sulfur content south of Gillette than north of Gillette.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits202320222021202020192018201720162015
Coal (thermal) tons  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe11,906,68312,609,41316,393,56918,332,04622,871,976
Heat ContentBTU/lb8,4408,3938,421
Sulfur%0.290.30.3
All production numbers are expressed as ROM coal.

Operational metrics

Metrics20232022202120202019201820172016
Coal tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe11,906,683 tons12,609,413 tons16,393,569 tons18,332,046 tons

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 13, 2024

EmployeesYear
...... Subscription required 2023
...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required 2021
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Aerial view:

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