The Dry Fork mine is a coal mine located 8 miles north of Gillette, Wyoming in the United States in the coal-rich Powder River Basin. The mine is an open pit mine that utilizes truck and shovel mining method to mine a low-sulfur, sub-bituminous coal that is used for domestic energy generation and shipped to customers via railroad. In 2011, the mine began supplying coal to the newly constructed Dry Fork power station that was constructed adjacent to the mine. The mine is currently owned and operated by Western Fuels Association.[1]

Dry Fork
Coal mines north and east of Gillette–Campbell County Airport, including the Dry Fork Mine
Location
Dry Fork is located in Wyoming
Dry Fork
Dry Fork
Location in Wyoming
StateWyoming
CountryUSA
Coordinates44°22′59″N 105°27′19″W / 44.38306°N 105.45528°W / 44.38306; -105.45528
Production
ProductsCoal
History
Opened1990 (1990)
Owner
CompanyWestern Fuels Association
Websitewww.westernfuels.org
Year of acquisition1990

As of 2009, Dry Fork had reserves of 330 mm tons of sub-bituminous coal and a maximum permitted production capacity of 15mm tons per year. Typical annual production has been in 5.2mm ton range for the last several years though. In 2008, the mine produced just over 5.2 million short tons of coal, making it the 37th-largest producer of coal in the United States.[2]

The average quality of the coal shipped from Dry Fork is 8,050-8,200 BTU/lb, 0.20-0.42% Sulfur, 3.8-5.1% Ash, and 1.50% Sodium (of the ash). Train loading operations at the mine are done with a batch weigh bin 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 10,800 tons.[3][4]

History

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The Dry Fork mine shipped its first coal to members of the Western Fuels Association in 1990 and is run by Western Fuels-Wyoming an associate of Western Fuels. Since opening, Dry Fork has shipped 69.5mm tons of coal.

Production

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[5][6]

Year Coal production Employees
2018 6,304,022 83
2017 6,045,618 82
2016 6,141,433 82
2015 6,369,206 79
2014 5,373,973 79
2013 5,433,936 78
2012 6,006,787 77
2011 5,776,092 79
2010 5,448,073 71
2009 5,232,451 67
2008 5,261,242 71
2007 5,310,716 70
2006 5,860,998 69
2005 4,093,611 61
2004 4,533,621 61
2003 4,363,683 61
2002 4,891,403 65
2001 4,029,100 68
2000 2,268,720 34
1999 1,219,590 9
1998 1,030,718 9
1997 918,224 8
1996 2,945,662 39
1995 3,606,453 47
1994 3,836,228 51
1993 3,279,801 49
1992 3,453,340 49
1991 2,786,946 43
1990 736,641 32
1989 0 3

References

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  1. ^ "Our Operations". Western Fuels website. Western Fuels. Archived from the original on 2009-09-01. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  2. ^ "Major U.S. Coal Mines, 2008". Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy. September 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  3. ^ "Mine Guide" (PDF). BNSF website. BNSF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-21. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  4. ^ "Basin Electric - Dry Fork Station". ENI website. Archived from the original on 2009-08-01. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  5. ^ "Dry Fork Data". Wyoming Mining Association. May 4, 2010. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  6. ^ "MSHA Mine ID 4801429". Retrieved 2019-03-27.
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