Alpha Natural Resources Affiliates Earn Safety and Environmental Awards at Annual West Virginia Coal Association Mining Symposium
ABINGDON, Va., Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Several affiliates of Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.
won safety awards announced during the 38th annual West Virginia Coal Association Mining Symposium in Charleston, W.Va. The Mountaineer Guardian Award for Safety is co-sponsored by the West Virginia Coal Association and the West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety & Training.Operations presented with the Mountaineer Guardian Award include:
Ewing Fork Surface Mine, Raleigh County;
Poplar Ridge #1 Mine, Webster County;
Wyoming #1 Mine, Wyoming County;
Cucumber Mine, McDowell County;
Litwar Preparation Plant, McDowell County; and
Rockspring Preparation Plant, Wayne County.
The annual awards are offered only to select mines and mining-related facilities that meet strict safety criteria. The awards recognize those organizations that have an exceptional safety performance record, superior internal safety programs, cooperative teaming with regulatory agencies and minimal violations. Each operation was nominated by its state inspector.
Ewing Fork surface mine of Alpha's subsidiary Simmons Fork Mining, Inc., had a total of 248,000 man hours without a lost-time injury, producing 875,000 plus tons. Brooks Run Mining Company, LLC's Poplar Ridge #1 mine worked 240,000 man hours and produced 1 million tons with 110 employees without a lost-time injury.
Brooks Run's Wyoming #1 mine and Cucumber mine worked 213,000 plus combined man hours producing 500,000 tons of coal without a lost-time injury.
Litwar Processing Company, LLC's preparation plant employees worked 61,860 man hours in 2010 without a lost-time injury while processing 720,000 tons of raw coal. Rockspring Development, Inc.'s preparation plant processed 3 million tons of coal with 51,000 man hours without a lost-time injury.
Brooks Run's Wyoming #2 deep mine won an environmental excellence award at the symposium for the upgrade, design and operation of an active underground mine. Upon assuming ownership of the existing underground mine, Brooks Run undertook several improvement projects to enhance environmental protection and minimize disruption to the local community.
'These awards confirm our philosophy of Running Right,' said Eddie Bateman, senior vice president of operations. 'Alpha consistently leads the industry in safety and environmental performance. We congratulate the employees who were recognized for their outstanding safety and environmental achievements.'
About Alpha Natural Resources
Alpha Natural Resources is one of America's premier coal suppliers with coal production capacity of greater than 90 million tons a year. Among U.S. producers, Alpha is a leading supplier and exporter of metallurgical coal used in the steel-making process and is a major supplier of thermal coal to electric utilities and manufacturing industries across the country. The company, through its affiliates, employs approximately 6,500 people and operates approximately 60 mines and 14 coal preparation facilities in Appalachia and the Powder River Basin. More information about Alpha can be found on the company's website at http://www.alphanr.com/.
Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.
CONTACT: Rick Nida of Alpha Natural Resources, 1-276-739-5304,
rnida@alphanr.com
Web Site: http://www.alphanr.com/