The North Antelope Rochelle Mine is one of America's largest coal mines, producing the lowest sulfur coal in America. The complex shipped a record 97.5 million tons of compliance coal during 2008, and more than 1.2 billion tons since the mine began. Remaining coal reserves dedicated to the mine cover nearly 28,000 acres with about 1.2 billion tons of recoverable coal. The mine is located 65 miles south of Gillette, Wyo. The coal seam mined is the Wyodak-Anderson, which ranges from 60 to 80 feet thick and lies from 100 to 400 feet below the surface in the reserve area.

 

The North Antelope Mine began operation in late 1983, with the Rochelle Mine beginning production in late 1985. The two mines were combined in 1999, becoming the largest coal mining operation in the United States. The complex currently has a workforce of approximately 1,130 people, and annually injects approximately $63 million into the regional economy in wages and benefits. The complex uses three draglines and five truck-and-shovel fleets for overburden removal and operates on two 12-hour shifts per day, 365 days per year.

 

The coal is mined from three pits and is hauled by truck to one of four hoppers at the complex, where it is crushed, conveyed to silos, and then to the loadouts. Coal quality averages approximately 8,800 Btu/lb. and 0.20 percent sulfur, making North Antelope Rochelle coal the cleanest in the United States.

 

Two concentric loop tracks connect with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads joint trackage. The loading facilities consist of two 10,000 ton per hour loadouts, one on each loop. The loop tracks and are capable of handling 150 cars per unit train. Coal from the complex is currently delivered to 38 of electricity generating customers operating 83 power plants throughout the United States, by both railroads.

 

North Antelope Rochelle's industry-leading safety and reclamation practices have been recognized with numerous awards over the past four years. Awards received by the mine include:

• Sentinels of Safety Award from the U.S. Department of Labor for operating the nation's safest U.S. surface mine
• The Wyoming Governor's Safety Award for the safest mine in the state
• "Safe Sam" Award from the State Mine Inspector and the Wyoming Mining Association for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006
• Gold Good Neighbor Award, U. S. Office of Surface Mining
• Good Neighbor Award from the Wyoming Mining Association
• Corporation of the Year for Exemplary Conservation Principals from the Wyoming Wildlife Federation

 

The North Antelope Rochelle Mine is a Peabody Energy operation. Peabody Energy, (NYSE: BTU) is the world's largest private-sector coal company, with 2008 sales of 255 million tons and $6.6 billion in revenues. Its coal products fuel 10 percent of all U.S. electricity generation and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.