Eagle Butte Mine
 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°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Coal |
| History | |
| Opened | 1978 |
| Closed | 2019 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Blackjewel |
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]
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
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
| Year | Coal production (short tons) |
Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 17,055,796 | 306 |
| 2017 | 17,264,483 | 303 |
| 2016 | 19,003,005 | 291 |
| 2015 | 19,649,723 | 290 |
| 2014 | 20,690,237 | 286 |
| 2013 | 19,904,433 | 255 |
| 2012 | 22,466,733 | 301 |
| 2011 | 25,365,054 | 310 |
| 2010 | 23,225,757 | 298 |
| 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
- ^ "Alpha Natural Resources: Locations". Alpha Natural Resources website. Alpha Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
- ^ https://investors.conturaenergy.com/files/doc_news/2017/News-Release-Contura-PRB-Asset-Sale-Announcement-12.11.17.pdf
- ^ "Mine Guide" (PDF). BNSF website. BNSF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-21. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
- ^ "Major U.S. Coal Mines, 2008". Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy. September 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ "Foundation Coal West Eagle Butte Mine Wins Dual Honors from the State of Wyoming". All Business. June 28, 2005. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
- ^ "Two Wyoming coal mines close, idling 700 workers". The Hill. The Hill. July 2, 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
- ^ "Eagle Data". Wyoming Mining Association. June 13, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
- ^ "MSHA Mine ID 4801078". Retrieved 2019-04-02.
External Links
Media related to Eagle Butte Mine at Wikimedia Commons