The Wyodak mine is a coal mine in Wyodak, Wyoming, United States, located about east of Gillette in the coal-rich Powder River Basin.
Description
The operation is an open pit mine that utilizes a truck and shovel mining method to produce a low-sulfur, sub-bituminous coal that is used for domestic energy generation. The mine ships its coal to the adjacent Wyodak power plant and to other customers via railroad. The mine is operated by Wyodak Resources Development, a subsidiary of the Black Hills Corporation.
As of 2009, Wyodak had reserves of 294mm tons of sub-bituminous coal and a maximum permitted production capacity of 10mm tons per year. Typical annual production has been in the 5-6mm ton range for the last several years though. In 2008, the mine produced just over 6.0 million short tons of coal, making it the 30th-largest producer of coal in the United States.
The average quality of the coal produced from the Wyodak Mine is 8,050 BTU/lb, 0.40% Sulfur, 6.0% Ash, and 0.94% Sodium (of the ash). Train loading operations at the mine are done by a flood loading system that is coupled to a "weigh-in-motion" track scale system. Silo capacity at the mine's rail loop, which can accommodate a single unit train, is 24,000 tons.
History Mining operations at the mine site first began around 1918 with the establishment of the Peerless Mine. The Peerless Mine was an underground room and pillar operation that mined coal near the outcrop of the Wyodak seam. Though the operation went out of business in 1925, it left behind underground workings which were uncovered and mined through by the Wyodak mine in the 1950s.
The modern Wyodak mine was established in 1923 to provide coal for power plants that supplied energy to the Homestake Mine (South Dakota) for its mining and milling operations. In 1956, the Black Hills Corporation purchased the mine from the Homestake Mining Company by exercising an option that was negotiated during its purchase of the Wyodak power plant in 1954.
It is believed that Wyodak is the oldest, continually operated surface coal mine in the United States.
Production
Year Coal Production Employees 2018 4,085,044 66 2017 4,182,800 63 2016 3,717,414 67 2015 4,140,386 68 2014 4,317,023 66 2013 4,285,445 65 2012 4,245,981 80 2011 5,691,756 120 2010 5,930,614 116 2009 6,016,063 121 2008 6,017,311 116 2007 5,049,232 109 2006 4,698,473 66 2005 4,701,625 68 2004 4,780,104 59 2003 4,812,346 56 2002 4,052,374 55 2001 3,518,162 53 2000 3,050,325 43 1999 3,179,585 43 1998 3,280,157 43 1997 3,250,969 46 1996 3,198,544 47 1995 2,984,000 51 1994 2,795,942 52 1993 3,027,356 57 1992 2,257,551 58 1991 2,741,809 57 1990 2,907,639 63 1989 2,349,135 70 1988 2,709,494 71 1987 2,976,398 76 1986 2,584,856 77 1985 2,898,482 72 1984 2,443,831 69
See also
List of coal mines in the United States
References
External links