Posted by Ann Rascalli

DENVER - Arch Coal, Inc. has announced that Mountain Coal Company’s West Elk mine employees were honored with a Colorado state safety award and two state environmental awards at the 112th National Western Mining Conference and Exhibition in Denver.

“Congratulations to everyone at West Elk for earning three statewide honors,” said John W. Eaves, president and chief operating officer of Arch Coal, Inc.  ”This external recognition reinforces our recent selection of West Elk as the top internal environmental performer among all underground mines in Arch’s national network, and also underscores the employees’ strong commitment to safety.”

The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety recognized West Elk mine with the 2009 Excellence in Safety Award for achieving the lowest total recordable incident rate among large underground coal mines in Colorado.  West Elk’s rate of 1.61 MSHA recordable injuries per 200,000 employee-hours was one-third the national underground average of 4.40, according to MSHA’s most recent data ending Sept. 30, 2009.

West Elk also was recognized by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety for the proactive reclamation of a steep, unstable U.S. Forest Service Road, replacing it with a new, realigned gravel road.  The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, in cooperation with the Colorado Mining Association, presented West Elk with Colorado’s Pollution Prevention Award for its proactive methods of reducing wastes.  West Elk encourages its employees to suggest more efficient ways to reduce, reuse, or recycle materials and has upgraded its office, shop and other buildings to more energy efficient lighting.

Mountain Coal Company is a subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc.  Mountain Coal Company’s West Elk mine is located in Somerset.  More than 350 people are employed at West Elk.  West Elk has operated for more than 10 years without a Colorado SMCRA violation.