Published: June 18, 2025 |

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Employees and the community of Henderson got their first look at a brand new underground mine that opened Tuesday.

Alliance Coal opened the doors of the Henderson County Mine on Sulphur Springs Road in Corydon.

Construction on the multi-million-dollar operation began in July of 2023.

The new Henderson County Mine is an expansion of the River View Mine, owned by Alliance Coal, in Union County.

The site will be operated by River View Coal, and is expected to create more than 260 new jobs. In total, officials anticipate having 400 employees by the end of 2025.

“The opening of this new site is more than just a local development; it’s a strategic investment in our economy, our workforce, and our ability to deliver reliable energy to millions of Americans,” said Zach Brown, general manager, River View Coal.

“Most of the jobs will be skilled labor. We will have lots of electricians, fabricators and skilled equipment laborers all the way around,” added Brown.

This new mine will not just create jobs in Henderson County, but in surrounding counties as well.

“It translates into flourishing not just for Henderson County, but for Union, Webster, and Crittenden County. They will all have miners driving in from those counties to have good paying jobs, $100,000-plus paying jobs,” said Kentucky Senator Robby Mills.

While investing into the people of the community is vital, county officials say the Henderson County Mine is set to generate around $300 million dollars a year for the local economy.

County officials say building this coal mine in Corydon was a no-brainer.

“We are all strong supporters of coal as a source of energy and providing energy that this country needs, and this state needs. Being able to help provide that energy as a community, I think, is a point of pride,” said Brad Schneider, Henderson County Judge/Executive.

With nearly two years of work coming to a close, Tuesday’s grand opening served as more than just a local development.

“We are going to provide security, and we are going to be around for the long-term. This type of investment assures that. We are very proud to see it come to fruition,” said Brown.

Officials say once mined, coal from the Henderson County Mine will be transported from the Corydon shaft site, by underground conveyors, to the surface at a slope in Waverly, and finally to a terminal on the Ohio River near Uniontown.

The Henderson County Mine will have a 30,000-square-foot building at the Corydon shaft site, which will house the main office, warehouse, and bathhouse.

The average pay for a worker at the Henderson County Mine will be around $35 per hour, with benefits like 100% health benefits.

Source: 14 News

Alliance Resource Partners is a diversified energy company that is currently the second largest coal producer in the eastern United States, supplying reliable, affordable energy domestically and internationally to major utilities, metallurgical and industrial users. ARLP also generates operating and royalty income from mineral interests it owns in strategic coal and oil & gas producing regions in the United States. In addition, ARLP is positioning itself as a reliable energy partner for the future by pursuing opportunities that support the growth and development of energy and related infrastructure.

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