The lignite deposits of the Gulf Coast are found primarily in a narrow band of strata that outcrops/subcrops along the margin of the Mississippi Embayment. The potentially exploitable tertiary lignites in Mississippi are found in the Wilcox Group. The outcropping Wilcox is composed predominately of non-marine sediments deposited on a broad flat plain.

Type of Mine: Surface Lignite
Coal Seam: C, D, E, F, G, H Seams
Average Seam Thickness: 3.6 feet
Average Depth: 150 feet

Average Coal Quality (As received):
Heat Content - 5,200 BTUs/lb
Sulfur - 0.60%
Ash - 14%
Moisture - 43%

The Red Hills mine - dragline operation with 1 dragline.

Typically, the deposit is topped with an overburden of sandy marl ranging from 5 to 15 meters in depth. This is removed by shovel. The overburden tops six recoverable seams of lignite, with partings or “interburden” layers between. All lignite is removed by the Wirtgen 4200 SM, with all but two of the interlayers removed by ripper-dozers. A Marion 8200 82 yd3 dragline uncovers the fifth and sixth seams of lignite.

The 4200 SM mines around 2,800 tons of lignite per hour and its 16 m-long conveyor belt discharges the coal in a single pass directly into dumper trucks, which then transport the coal to the power station and into the feed hopper. As maximum grain sizes of 7.6 cm are mined, there is no need to break the material down further, greatly increasing efficiency.