Day 4: GAETI - Red Hills Mine, Ackerman, MS

Today we went to the North American, Red Hills Coal Mine, near Ackerman, Mississippi.
Approximate 45 minutes West of Starkville, the Ackerman Mine is a Lignite Surface Mine tied to a Southern Company Electricity Production Plant.  We learned about the reclamation projects which are undertaken by the Company, for which they have received the following national awards:

• 20 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Awards from the US Department of Interior Office of Surface Mining, including:  
• The Reclamation Hall of Fame Award
• The Best of the Best Award
• Director’s Award (twice)
• Good Neighbor Award (twice)

• 19 Environmental Achievement Awards from the Texas Railroad Commission

• 6 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Awards from the North Dakota Public Service Commission

• Federal environmental awards from the US Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and President’s Council on Sustainable Development

Additionally we were given a tour of the surprisingly large operation within which known (Proven) Coal Reserves from the mine are expected to last well over 300 years at current production rates, and provide energy annually for 440,000 homes in the area.

As a business The North American Coal Corporation, a subsidiary of NACCO Industries, Inc. (NYSE:NC), mines and markets lignite primarily as fuel for power generation and provides selected value-added mining services for other natural resources companies. Its corporate headquarters is located in Plano, Texas near Dallas. North American Coal operates surface mines in North Dakota, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana, and also provides dragline mining services for independently owned limerock quarries in Florida.

We were shown an interesting classroom demonstration by the mine geologists which included measurement of porosity and permeability of different materials. Overall it was a fun and intereseting day.

Lunch way provided by SUBWAY and all was well with the world!