Eagle Butte Mine

Eagle Butte

Coal mines north and east of Gillette-Campbell County Airport, including the Eagle Butte Mine
Location
Eagle Butte Mine
Location in Wyoming
State Wyoming
Country United States
Coordinates 44°21′20″N 105°29′56″W / 44.35556°N 105.49889°WCoordinates: 44°21′20″N 105°29′56″W / 44.35556°N 105.49889°W
Production
Products Coal
History
Opened 1978
Owner
Company Alpha Natural Resources
Website http://www.alphanr.com
Year of acquisition 2009

The Eagle Butte mine is a coal mine located 7 miles (11 km) north of Gillette, Wyoming in the United States in the coal-rich Powder River Basin. The mine is an open pit, "truck and shovel", mine producing a low-sulfur, sub-bituminous coal from the Roland and Smith seams that is used for domestic energy generation. Coal produced by the mine is shipped to its customers via railroad. The mine is currently owned and operated by Alpha Natural Resources after being acquired in a merger with Foundation Coal in 2009.[1]

As of 2009, Eagle Butte had reserves of 471,000,000 short tons (427,000,000 t) of sub-bituminous coal and a maximum permitted production capacity of 35,000,000 short tons (32,000,000 t) per year. Typical annual production has been in 20-25 million ton range for the last several years though. The average quality of the coal shipped from Eagle Butte is 8,400 BTU/lb, 0.34% Sulfur, 4.50% Ash, and 1.90% Sodium (of the ash). Train loading operations at the mine are done with a batch weigh bin system that is coupled to a "weigh-in-motion" track scale system. Silo capacity at the mine's rail loop, which can accommodate up to 5 unit trains, is 48,000 tons.[2] In 2008, the mine produced just over 20,500,000 short tons (18,600,000 t) of coal, making it the 9th-largest producer of coal in the United States.[3]

History

The Eagle Butte Mine shipped its first train of coal in 1978 after beginning pre-production work in 1976. Since mining operations began, the mine has shipped over 521,000,000 short tons (473,000,000 t) of coal to its customers.[4] Eagle Butte mine has changed hands many times through mergers and sales. Previous owners include AMAX, Cyprus AMAX, RAG and Foundation Coal.

In 2005, the Eagle Butte mine was awarded two awards from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for Excellence in Surface Mining Reclamation and Innovation. Eagle Butte was selected to receive these awards because of the superior quality of shrub patches that the mine had established on its reclamation.[5]

Production

[4][6][7]

Year Coal Production
(short tons) 		Employees
2009 21,496,124 280
2008 20,443,413 274
2007 25,010,089 275
2006 25,355,158 270
2005 24,137,448 242
2004 22,997,687 238
2003 24,549,824 236
2002 24,888,124 236
2001 24,826,910 236
2000 18,622,992 181
1999 24,826,910 186
1998 18,074,546 184
1997 17,921,000 188
1996 15,642,744 184
1995 16,942,000 180
1994 17,161,000 201
1993 16,838,000 227
1992 13,669,000 217
1991 13,922,000 219
1990 15,402,000 246
1989 13,606,000 265
1988 12,915,000 271
1987 12,977,000 299
1986 12,000,000 299
1985 11,808,000 314
1984 13,365,000 310
1983 11,030,000 308
1982 9,100,000
1981 8,400,000
1980 8,500,000
1979 4,500,000
1978 500,000

References

  1. ↑ "Alpha Natural Resources: Locations". Alpha Natural Resources website. Alpha Natural Resources. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
  2. ↑ "Mine Guide" (PDF). BNSF website. BNSF. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  3. ↑ "Major U.S. Coal Mines, 2008". Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy. September 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Powder River Basin Operations and Process Management" (PDF). Foundation Coal West. May 30, 2007. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  5. ↑ "Foundation Coal West Eagle Butte Mine Wins Dual Honors from the State of Wyoming". All Business. June 28, 2005. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  6. ↑ "Eagle Data". Wyoming Mining Association. June 13, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  7. ↑ "MSHA Mine ID 4801078". Retrieved 2010-07-03.