Feature Stories
Who is FM Coal and Why Does it Want Blackjewel’s Coal Mines?
October 1, 2019
In the heart of the Powder River Basin, just off Wyoming Highway 59, a pair of the nation’s largest coal mines have become what some are calling “zombie” mines. Once ranked as the fourth- and sixth- highest producing mines in
NASA Astronaut Eyes Moon Jackpot, Ranging from Space Mining to Polar Ice
September 30, 2019
From mining clean energy to harnessing polar ice for rocket fuel propellant, America’s return to the moon could unlock a vast trove of space resources, according to NASA astronaut Drew Feustel. NASA’s Artemis program aims to land American astronauts on
Can Artificial Intelligence Be Used to Improve Coal Plant Profitability?
September 24, 2019
Can artificial intelligence be employed to boost coal power usage? One chemical engineer at West Virginia University is tapping into artificial intelligence to improve the profitability and flexibility of coal-fired power plants. Debangsu Bhattacharyya has received a $2.5-million grant from
In Coal Country, Mines Shut Down, Women Went to Work and the World Quietly Changed
September 23, 2019
In the pre-dawn hours when all is dark and quiet, Amanda Lucas leaves her house and begins the long drive to her job at a hospital an hour away. In years past, it was the men who would empty out
Florida’s Hillsborough County Gets Creative to Bring Phosphate Mines Back to Nature
September 23, 2019
Engineers working to return phosphate land to nature in southeast Hillsborough County are recreating an old stream though a new process called hydraulic carving. The method is similar to the kid’s game of using a garden hose to form a
Thompson Machinery, Caterpillar Dealer in Tennessee and Mississippi, Celebrates 75 Years
September 20, 2019
Thompson Machinery, the local Caterpillar dealer in Middle and West Tennessee and North Mississippi, celebrates its 75th birthday today, September 19. In a letter written by the late DeWitt Thompson III, he reflects on the opportunity for the family to
Bluefield Coal Show Finishes as Huge Success
September 19, 2019
The 2019 Bluefield Coal Show ended Friday afternoon, and by all accounts it was a huge success. With almost 200 vendors from around the country and thousands of people coming and going at the Brushfork Armory, attendees and organizers were
Mining Industry on Brink of Transformation with Automation and Robotics
September 19, 2019
The mining industry is on the brink of an “extraordinary transformation” driven by technology including robotics and automation, according to mining executives from around the globe. A new industry report by Perth-based research group State of Play shows 73 percent
Bluefield Coal Show Exhibitor Silver Spur Conveyors Shares Success Story
September 17, 2019
The Bluefield Coal Show is not just a place exhibitors attend every two years to show off their products and learn about new equipment, innovations and technology. It’s also a place where connections are formed and deals made. For Greg
Wyoming Coal Industry Bets on Emissions Capture Breakthrough
September 17, 2019
It was a sobering moment this July 1 in Gillette, Wyoming, when two of the largest coal mines in the country closed in midshift. Melissa Peterson Worden was one of about 600 people who lost their jobs that day, when
