Eagle Butte Mine

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 Blackjewel LLC after being acquired from Contura energy in 2017.[1][2]

Eagle Butte
Coal mines north and east of Gillette–Campbell County Airport, including the Eagle Butte Mine
Location
Eagle Butte Mine
Location in Wyoming
StateWyoming
CountryUnited States
Coordinates44°21′20″N 105°29′56″W
Production
ProductsCoal
History
Opened1978 (1978)
Closed2019 (2019)
Owner
CompanyBlackjewel

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.[3] 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.[4]

History
Eagle Butte Mine seen from the visitor overlook platform
An empty haul truck heading back into the pit passing by coal silos
Coal silos in Eagle Butte Mine
Train heading along a rail spur in Eagle Butte Mine to be loaded with coal
Coal is loaded on freight cars as they pass through the silo

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.[5] 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.[6]

On July 1, 2019 CEO Jeffery Hoop announced that Blackjewel LLC, the operator of Eagle Butte had filed for bankruptcy and closed the mine. According to the Casper Star-Tribune, court documents show that Blackjewel owes $500 million in liabilities, including $6 million to employees. This was after Blackjewel was denied $20 million in financing by the United Bank of West Virginia.[7]

Production

[5][8][9]

YearCoal production
(short tons)		Employees
201817,055,796306
201717,264,483303
201619,003,005291
201519,649,723290
201420,690,237286
201319,904,433255
201222,466,733301
201125,365,054310
201023,225,757298
200921,496,124280
200820,443,413274
200725,010,089275
200625,355,158270
200524,137,448242
200422,997,687238
200324,549,824236
200224,888,124236
200124,826,910236
200018,622,992181
199924,826,910186
199818,074,546184
199717,921,000188
199615,642,744184
199516,942,000180
199417,161,000201
199316,838,000227
199213,669,000217
199113,922,000219
199015,402,000246
198913,606,000265
198812,915,000271
198712,977,000299
198612,000,000299
198511,808,000314
198413,365,000310
198311,030,000308
19829,100,000
19818,400,000
19808,500,000
19794,500,000
1978500,000

References
  1. "Alpha Natural Resources: Locations". Alpha Natural Resources website. Alpha Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
  2. https://investors.conturaenergy.com/files/doc_news/2017/News-Release-Contura-PRB-Asset-Sale-Announcement-12.11.17.pdf
  3. "Mine Guide" (PDF). BNSF website. BNSF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-21. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  4. "Major U.S. Coal Mines, 2008". Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy. September 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  5. "Powder River Basin Operations and Process Management" (PDF). Foundation Coal West. May 30, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2012. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  6. "Foundation Coal West Eagle Butte Mine Wins Dual Honors from the State of Wyoming". All Business. June 28, 2005. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  7. "Two Wyoming coal mines close, idling 700 workers". The Hill. The Hill. July 2, 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
  8. "Eagle Data". Wyoming Mining Association. June 13, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  9. "MSHA Mine ID 4801078". Retrieved 2019-04-02.

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