| The Fork Creek Mining Company has been nominated for the Interstate Mining Compact
Commission’s National Reclamation Award. Coal reserves are located in Boone, Lincoln,
and Kanawha Counties in West Virginia. Permitting for the access road, preparation plant
underground mines, and the refuse disposal area began in the spring of 1998, with initial
construction beginning in December 1998. The project involved the construction of a
four-mile access road, site development for a 900 tph processing plant with raw and clean
coal handling facilities, a slope and shaft mine 250 below drainage in the No. 2 gas seam,
a 150-car unit train loadout facility, and a 2.5 mile railroad spur. Also constructed was
a 400-foot refuse disposal area, an underground slurry injection system and a fresh water
distribution system. The first unit train shipment of coal took place in September of
2000. |
|
Relocation of
Fish
|
During the initial construction a fish pond had to be removed within the
permitted area. Fork Creek went to great expense to drain the pond, catch the game fish,
and transport them to Rock House Lake in Boone County.
Extreme care was taken in re-routing the streams to minimize impact and reduce
sediment. The relocation of the streams was only conducted during periods of low flow.
Silt control was incorporated into the design and construction to prevent any damage to
the streams. Construction of the preparation plant site facility, mine site, and the
railroad required the relocation of 9,000 feet of stream. This was completed in an
environmentally responsible manner with stream habitat enhancement, revegetation and
planting of trees and shrubs along the bank. Extensive biological and fishery studies were
conducted both before and after the stream relocation, with positive reports.
|
|
River Fork Stream Relocation
|
Fork Creek mining Company is dedicated to the community and local
businesses. Before construction started, Fork Creek donated the old Nellis Church to the
Boone County Commission. The Nellis Church is now the Coal Heritage Museum. The mine
concentrates on using local contractors such as restaurants, service centers, banks,
retail and wholesale stores. They also support local schools and churches. Employees visit
schools during career days and other special events. They explain the process of mining
coal and all the related jobs this creates. Fork Creek supplies the manpower and resources
to cut and clear unwanted trees and bushes from the Midway Elementary playground area, and
built a sidewalk for the students and faculty. Nellis Elementary has enjoyed many projects
supported by Fork Creek, Including picnic tables at the playground. |
Access Road
|
Financial donations have been provided to local businesses:
Canoe Livery for the cleanup of Little Coal River; Lincoln County Commissioners for the
study of regional airport development; Salvation Army for Christmas gifts - including a
tractor-trailer filled with Christmas gifts and Commission to support the purchase of a
new radio tower to improve emergency communications. Fork Creek Mining Company will
continue to support local community projects, schools, churches, businesses, banks, and
contractors.
|
|
|
