Atlantic Coal, an AIM listed open-pit coal production and processing company with activities in Pennsylvania, USA, has, in order to continue to increase the run-of-mine (ROM) production profile at its Stockton coal mine, a producing opencast anthracite operation in Pennsylvania, ordered a second Liebherr R9250 14.5 m3 hydraulic excavator. The new Liebherr will cost $3.75 million and this will be funded through a conventional lease purchase agreement. The first Liebherr, purchased in 2010, has made a significant impact on production at Stockton, as highlighted by the recent update on April 7, 2011 which saw 120,850 t of ROM coal produced and 503,677 m3 (bank) of overburden removed during the quarter.
The second Liebherr, which will significantly enhance excavation capacity and facilitate the increase of ROM tons supplied to the wash plant, is due at Stockton by the end of 2011 and is planned to be operational during the first quarter of 2012. Its arrival will coincide with the completion of restoration work at the company’s Gowan site, 20 km from Stockton, which will free two Cat 777 trucks and provide additional haul truck capacity for the two Liebherr excavators. Working capital resources devoted to Gowan’s reclamation will also be redirected. The company remains on target to produce its estimated 450-500,000 t/y ROM.
Atlantic Managing Director Steve Best said, “The first Liebherr R9250 has bolstered our production profile considerably since its delivery a year ago and I am confident that we will benefit from another excavator on site to increase our efficiency and excavation capacity. This will allow us to increase our production of ROM coal to the wash plant and maximise the 4.2Mt defined anthracite reserves at Stockton. Furthermore we continue to assess additional opportunities as we look to increase our critical mass and become a leading coal producer in the Pennsylvania Anthracite Field.”
