Mining Intelligence and News
United States

Center Mine

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Coal (thermal)
  • Lignite
Mining Method
  • Dragline
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotApproximately 98 percent of coal from the Center Mine is supplied to the Milton R. Young Station coal-fired power plant located adjacent to the northeast corner of the permit area. There is no rail loadout facility at the Center Mine, nor are there any proximate rail lines that would allow for rail transport of the coal.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
BNI Coal Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
ALLETE, Inc. 100 % Indirect
BNI Energy, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of ALLETE, Inc. (NYSE-ALE), owns and operates BNI Coal, Center mine.

Deposit type

  • Sedimentary

Summary:

In the Center Mine the Kinneman Creek (5 feet thick) and Hagel (10 feet thick) beds are the target beds. The Kinneman Creek and Hagel (A and B) coal beds extend throughout much of the central portion of the Oliver county. Fort Union strata is 700 to 1,200 feet thick in this county. Unfortunately, there is little to no subsurface control beyond a depth of about 400 feet in this area.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Summary:

BNI Energy is a supplier of lignite in North Dakota, produces approximately 4 million tons per year.

After the lignite has been uncovered with the dragline, it must be broken into smaller pieces before it can be hauled to the power plant. This operation is done with bulldozers. The bulldozers at BNI are equipped with a large ripper shank built specifically for breaking coal into pieces small enough to be placed into BNI’s haul trucks.

Production

CommodityUnits202320222021202020192018201720162015
Coal (thermal) tons  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3,958,7074,256,8674,288,4044,296,3074,393,986
All production numbers are expressed as ROM coal.

Operational metrics

Metrics2023202220212020201920182017
Coal tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3,958,707 tons4,256,867 tons4,288,404 tons

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Financials

Units202220212020201920182017
After-tax Income M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 7.4   6.8   4.5  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 28, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 28, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Mar 28, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Mar 28, 2024

EmployeesYear
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Aerial view:

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