In November, 11 awards of excellence were presented to southwest Virginia coal companies during the Virginia Coal and Energy Alliance’s (VCEA) 47th annual Fall Meeting and “Excellence in Mining Awards,” at the Russell County Government Center in Lebanon.
Awards presented included those for AML enhancement, best active surface mine, best completed surface mine, best refuse disposal, best completed deep mine, best forestry reclamation approach, best active deep mine, best completed fill, best active prep plant, best stewardship in mining and reclamation, and a 15-Year Legacy award.
Jeff Taylor, outgoing VCEA president, was presented with a plaque honoring his service to the organization. The presentation was made by J.P. Richardson, the current VCEA chairman.
Excellence in Mining Awards presented were as follows:
•Best AML Enhancement: Savage Services Co., Wise County, Tom’s Creek Gob Pile Removal. Savage Services Co. is a major fuel supplier for Dominion’s Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center. Through the AML enhancement project, Savage Services Co. recovers waste coal from the gob pile and uses proceeds from those coal sales to offset the cost of the reclamation. The state benefits in realizing cost savings through total removal of the gob pile. Danny Bailey is the DMME inspector.
•Best Active Surface Mine: Paramont Contura LLC, Dickenson/Buchanan County. The site is located 0.25 Miles South of Duty on Cane Creek. It consists of surface area, surface steep slope and surface auger (highwall miner) operations. The permit consists of 2,400 total acres to be mined. Rick Altizer is the DMME inspector.
•Best Completed Surface Mine: Clintwood Elkhorn Mining LLC., Buchanan County. The site is located four miles WSW of Hurley on Race Fork. The permit consisted of 984 acres that have been reclaimed. Bobby Yates is the DMME inspector.
•Best Refuse Disposal: Ramaco Resources Land Holdings LLC, Tazewell County. The site is located 1.5 miles North of Red Ash on Jamison Creek. Ramaco’s “Jamison Creek Impoundment” permit was originally issued in 1983. Ralph Stacy is the DMME inspector.
•Best Completed Deep Mine: Red River Coal Co. Inc., Wise County. The site is located on Phillips Creek. Primarily, mining has been done in the Taggart seam. John Clevinger is the DMME inspector.
•Best Forestry Reclamation Approach: Clintwood Elkhorn Mining LLC, Buchanan County. The permit was issued September 28, 2001. The site is located 2.5 miles north-northwest of Hurley on Knox Creek. Post mining land use is unmanaged forest land. Nathan Abshire is the DMME inspector.
•Best Active Deep Mine: Paramont Contura, LLC, Dickenson County. The site is located three miles southeast of McClure on Rush Branch. Rick Altizer is the DMME inspector.
•Best Completed Fill: Norton Coal Co. LLC, Tazewell County. The site is located 3.4 miles North of Richlands on Town Hill Creek. The permit was originally issued in 2005. Mining has ceased and the permit is now reclaimed. Ralph Stacy is the DMME inspector.
•Best Active Prep Plant: Buchanan Minerals LLC, No. 1 Mine Preparation Plant, Buchanan County. The plant is located 2.9 miles south of Keen Mountain and has been in operation ever since construction was completed in December 1984. The plant currently employees 45 workers. During the 12 months ending October 2018, the plant processed and shipped 5 million clean tons. Lail Deel is the DMME inspector.
•Best Stewardship in Mining and Reclamation: Red River Coal Co. Inc., Wise County. The site is located six miles northeast of Norton, on Rogers and Amos Ridge. John Clevinger is the DMME inspector.
•15-year Legacy Award: Red River Coal Co. Inc., Wise County. The site is located nine miles north of Norton, near the Guest River headwaters. Multiple seams were mined on the permit. John Clevinger is the DMME inspector.
