Gateway Mine
{{#Badges: CoalSwarm}} Gateway Mine is a non-union underground mine in Randolph County near Coulterville, Illinois, owned by Peabody Energy. The mine began production in July 2005. In 2008, the mine sold 3.2 million tons of steam coal, primarily to major utility and industrial customers.[1]
On Sep. 27, 2010, Peabody announced that it plans to expand yearly production capacity at its Gateway mine by 40%. The $175-million project will extend the life of the operation at least 16 years, by advancing underground operations north of the existing site and boosting capacity to 4.5 million tons a year. Gateway has an additional 280-million tons of reserves available for expansion “in favorable market conditions”, Peabody said. The project still requires permitting and regulatory approval, and the company has started work on licensing and mine engineering for the expansion. The Gateway mine shipped 3.2-million tons of coal to customers in the mid-west US in 2009.[2]
Besides the newly approved expansion at Gateway, Peabody is also expanding six mines in Australia, ramping up operations at the Bear Run Mine in Indiana and increasing production at the El Segundo mine in New Mexico.[2]
Contents
History
The mine operates seven days a week, year round, with one to three production shifts per day on two and a half supersection units to extract coal from the Herrin No. 6 seam. The coal goes from the mine via a 1,200-foot beltline to temporary storage and then travels by overland belt 1.4 miles to the preparation plant.[1]
The preparation plant scrubs the coal using heavy media cyclones. After scrubbing, it is stored in a 10,000-ton silo and a 100,000-ton above-ground storage/loadout facility before shipping to customers. Coal is shipped in 125-car unit trains or travels via train to a Mississippi River dock, where it is transloaded onto barges.[1]
Peabody bought the mine from Lexington Coal Company. In early 2005 Black Beauty signed a long-term coal supply agreement with Northern Indiana Public Service Company. Black Beauty said the Gateway Mine will provide all the coal to fulfill the contract.[3]
Mine Data
- Owner: Black Beauty Coal Company
- Parent company: Peabody Energy
- Location: 13101 Zeigler mine Rd, Coulterville, Illinois
- GPS coordinates:38.181057,-89.656591
- Production: 3.2 million tons (2008)
- Type of coal: Steam
- Mine type: Underground
- Equipment:
- Number of employees: 220
- Recoverable Reserves: 16 million tons
Contact Information
Black Beauty Coal Company
Coulterville, IL 62237
Phone: (618)758-3520
Articles and resources
The Illinois Coal Industry Statutory Mandated Report 2008 an industry report containing information on Illinois mines.
Related SourceWatch articles
- Coal and jobs in the United States
- Coal phase-out
- Headquarters of U.S. coal mining companies
- Global list of coal mining companies and agencies
- Illinois and coal
- Proposed coal mines
- Existing U.S. Coal Plants
- Coal
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References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Gateway Mine" Peabody Energy Website, October 2009
- ↑ Jump up to: 2.0 2.1 Liezel Hill, "Peabody to expand Illinois coal mine" Mining Weekly, Sep. 27, 2010.
- ↑ Patrick L. Thimangu "Peabody Energy fires up Illinois mine, hiring 200" St. Louis Business Journal, June 3, 2005
