Press Releases

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 6 – The New South Wales Minerals Council (NSWMC) has honored Peabody Energy’s Metropolitan Mine with a 2011 Environmental and Community Excellence Award for a first-of-its-kind initiative to recycle coal mine waste rock into abandoned underground mine workings.  Peabody’s innovative approach to permanent storage for these products was also recognized with the NSWMC’s People’s Choice Award, selected by conference delegates.   

The initiative will deliver environmental and community benefits by significantly reducing the need to haul the material in trucks on local public roads and the need for storage in surface facilities.  Peabody also believes that adoption of this technology throughout Australia’s mining industry could reduce the potential for subsidence impacts if the rock is stored within the zone of a longwall.  

“Peabody Energy is proud to be a global leader advancing best practices in environmental excellence and social responsibility to benefit the people and communities where the company operates,” said Peabody Energy Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Eric Ford.  “Our sustainable approach also encourages technology transfer throughout the industry to benefit all of Australia.”

The NSWMC honors mark the second time Metropolitan Mine has received the Award of Excellence and People’s Choice Award in the past three years.  

Globally, Peabody operations have earned more than 15 major awards for environmental excellence and community stewardship this past year.  The company also has restored more than 5,200 acres, planted half a million trees and invested more than $245 million on land restoration and environmental activities. 

Peabody Energy is the world’s largest private-sector coal company and a global leader in clean coal solutions.  With 2010 sales of 246 million tons and nearly $7 billion in revenues, Peabody fuels 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.

CONTACT:
Beth Sutton
(928) 522-7008