Profile: James River Coal Company (JRCC.O)

James River Coal Company mines, processes and sells bituminous, steam- and industrial-grade coal through six operating subsidiaries located throughout eastern Kentucky and in southern Indiana. The Company has two business segments based on the coal basins in which it operates: Central Appalachia (CAPP) and the Midwest (Midwest). As of December 31, 2008, the Company’s six mining complexes included 17 underground mines, 14 surface mines and 10 preparation plants. During 2008, it produced 11.1 million tons of coal.

Bell County

The Bell County complex is located in Bell County in eastern Kentucky, and consists of two Company-operated underground mines. The Company uses room and pillar mining to mine the Buckeye Springs and Garmedia seams of coal. Coal is processed at its preparation plant and loaded into railcars via an integrated four-hour unit train loadout that is serviced by both the CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads.

Bledsoe

The Bledsoe complex is located in Leslie and Harlan counties in eastern Kentucky, and consists of its Company-operated underground mines and one Company-operated surface mine with a contractor operated highwall miner. It uses room and pillar mining to mine the coal at this complex for its underground mine, and its surface mines use the contour method and/or the highwall mining method to mine. Coal is processed at one of two preparation plants and loaded into railcars at a separate location via a four-hour unit train loadout on the CSX railroad.

Blue Diamond

The Blue Diamond complex is located in Leslie, Perry and Letcher counties in eastern Kentucky, and consists of three Company-operated underground mines, one Company-operated surface mines and one contractor-operated surface mine with a contractor operated highwall miner. Its Company-operated underground mines uses room and pillar mining. The surface mines use the contour method and/or the highwall mining method and its contract mine operator uses the same method to mine the Leatherwood seam. Coal is processed at its preparation plant, and loaded into railcars via an integrated four-hour unit train loadout on the CSX railroad.

Leeco

The Leeco complex is located in Knott and Perry counties in eastern Kentucky, and consists of one Company-operated underground mine and two Company-operated surface mine, one of which is operated with a highwall miner. Its underground mine uses room and pillar mining to mine the Amburgy seam of coal and its surface mine uses the contour and highwall mining methods. Coal is processed at its preparation plant and loaded into railcars via an integrated four-hour unit train loadout on the CSX railroad.

McCoy Elkhorn

The McCoy Elkhorn complex is located in Pike and Floyd counties in eastern Kentucky, and consists of five Company-operated underground mines, one contractor operated underground mine, one Company-operated surface mine and one contractor operated surface mine. It uses room and pillar mining, and Pond Creek seams of coal. Coal is processed at one of its two preparation plants and loaded into railcars via integrated four-hour unit train loadouts on the CSX railroad.

Triad

The Triad complex is located in Pike and Knox counties in southern Indiana and consists of seven surface mines and one underground mine. It uses room and pillar mining to mine the Springfield seam of coal, and use the surface mine method to mine multiple seams, including the Danville, Millersburg, Hymera, Bucktown and Springfield seams. Coal is processed at one of three active preparation plants and loaded into trucks for delivery to the customer or by rail at its Switz City loadout. The Switz City loadout is serviced by Indiana Railroad and the Indiana Southern Railroad.