Cypress Creek Mine

Cypress Creek Mine is located four miles north of Boonville in Warrick County, Indiana. Vigo Coal Company is the contract miner that provides both people and management expertise in a cost-plus arrangement with the owner, a utility company. The 70-employee surface mining operation produces well over one million tons of coal per year. With rock and shale overburden depths exceeding 100 feet, cast blasting techniques are employed where possible. Much effort is used at Cypress Creek Mine to make use of technology that reduces the possible effects of blasting to our neighbors and maintains compliance with blasting (industry) regulations.

Overburden removal is accomplished with hydraulic excavators, electric drive haul trucks and large bulldozers managed by two work shifts per day. Excavators (set up in backhoe arrangement) load the coal onto mechanical drive trucks, which transport the coal to a crushing and blending facility. From this facility, semi trucks are wheel-loaded with the coal for delivery to the utility.

Friendsville Mine

Friendsville Mine is located in southern Illinois on Highway 15, 3.5 miles west of Mount Carmel. Now under development—and scheduled for full production by July 2006—this surface mine operation will produce nearly one million tons of coal per year. At full production, Friendsville Mine will utilize approximately 60 employees to provide a combination of washed and raw tonnage to the industrial user that owns the mine’s assets. Vigo Coal Company is contracted to mine the coal under a cost-plus agreement.

Large hydraulic excavators, electric drive haul trucks and large bulldozers will remove the overburden consisting of both unconsolidated and soft shale at depths to 80 feet. Where possible, cast-blasting techniques will be used in the drilling and blasting of the soft shale. Coal from the pit will be moved with wheel loaders and mechanical drive trucks will transport it to the coal handling and Heavy Media washing facilities to meet specifications. Finally, the coal will be loaded into rail cars for transport to the industrial user.