US approves Warrior Met Coal’s mining plans in Alabama

[Ben Graham]

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), a branch of the US Department of the Interior, has announced the federal approval of Warrior Met Coal’s mining plan for two sites in Tuscaloosa county, Alabama.

Leasing of the federal coal tracts was approved after OSM reviewed an EIS (environmental impact statement) prepared by the Bureau of Land Management and determined that the company’s mining plan adequately addresses “potential adverse environmental effects” and satisfies its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The approval authorizes the recovery of more than 53 million tons of metallurgical coal — a designated critical material under the Energy Act of 2020. Met coal is used to produce coke, an essential fuel for producing high-grade steel used in a wide range of applications, including manufacturing, automotive and construction.

Last year, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to revive the country’s shrinking coal industry, rolling back key restrictions despite the fuel’s major role in climate change and pollution.

Trump directed federal agencies to lift Obama-era limits on coal mining, leasing and exports. He instructed the Interior Department to locate coal deposits on federal lands, remove barriers to mining, and fast-track leasing processes.

The mining plans for Warrior Met Coal’s Mine No. 4 and Blue Creek Mine No. 1 were advanced under Executive Order 14241, Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production, and Executive Order 14261, Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry.

“Coal recovered from the approval of these mining plans will go to America’s allies for steelmaking,” OSM director Lanny E. Erdos said in a news release. “This will strengthen our national security by ensuring stable supply chains for critical defense materials and reduces reliance on rivals like China.”

At Mine No. 4, Warrior expects to extract about 16.9 million tons of met coal, extending the life of mine by seven years to 2046, while employing approximately 425 employees annually. At Blue Creek Mine No. 1, the company plans to extract about 36.3 million tons, extending the life of mine by 14 years to 2067, while employing approximately 500 employees annually.

Coal recovery from these mines is anticipated to generate more than $400 million in average annual economic output, the company said.