The Black Thunder Coal Mine is a surface coal mine in the U.S. state of Wyoming, located at in the Powder River Basin which contains one of the largest deposits of coal in the world. Black Thunder is the second most productive mine in the United States and one of the largest in the world, providing the U.S. with 8 percent of its coal supply.[1] In 2007, the mine produced 86,196,275 short tons of coal,[2] nearly 20 percent of Wyoming's total coal production, and higher than 23 other individual coal producing states.[2]
Black Thunder’s dragline excavator is the biggest in the world and cranks out enough coal to load up 25 miles of railroad cars per day. [1]
In 2009, the America’s Power Factuality Tour stopped at the Black Thunder Coal Mine to report on its role in generating electricity in the United States. [1]
The mine was opened in 1977, and run by ARCO Coal until it was acquired in 1998 by Arch Coal.[3] For most of its existence, Black Thunder has been the largest mine in the country (by production), but it was surpassed by the nearby North Antelope Rochelle Mine. North Antelope Rochelle was created after Peabody Energy purchased the Rochelle mine next door to their North Antelope Mine and consolidated operations. Arch Coal, Inc. announced on March 9, 2009 that it has agreed to purchase Rio Tinto's Jacobs Ranch mine adjoining Black Thunder, which will result in Black Thunder once again being the largest mine in the country.[4]