Armstrong Coal, a subsidiary of Armstrong Energy, is installing the first full fleet of Caterpillar (Cat) room-and-pillar coal mining equipment at its new Lewis Creek underground mine in Kentucky.
Lewis Creek mines the 50-inch thick West Kentucky No. 9 Seam. Targeted sales of clean coal from the mine are 800,000 to 900,000 tons annually.
Armstrong secured 24 machines from Whayne Supply, a dealer in Cat equipment.
The fleet comprises four Cat CM235 Continuous Miners with face haulers, roof bolters, scoops and feeder breakers.
Lewis Creek mine underground mine Superintendent Rickie Philips commented, “Caterpillar has a reputation for being a leader in the industry; so when they went underground, we thought it would be a good thing to be part of.
“We know that Caterpillar will back us all the way. They have a stake in this as much as we do.”
Final delivery of the new equipment is expected to complete in early 2013 and will be put into service as it arrives.