Arch Resources facts for kids
| Subsidiary | |
| Traded as | NYSE: ARCH |
| Industry | Coal mining |
| Fate | Merged with Consol Energy to form Core Natural Resources |
| Founded | 1969 (founded) 1997 (current corporation) |
| Headquarters | St. Louis, Missouri |
|
Key people
|
Paul A. Lang, President/CEO John T. Drexler, Sr.VP/COO George J. Schuller Jr., Senior vice president and Chief Operating Officer |
| Products | Coal |
| Revenue |  US$ 2.32 billion (2017) |
|
Operating income
|
US$ 232 million (2017) |
 US$ 582 million (2017) |
|
| Total assets | US$ 238 million (2017) |
| Total equity | US$ 666 million (2017) |
|
Number of employees
|
3,790 (2017) |
| Parent | Core Natural Resources |
Arch Resources, once called Arch Coal, was a big American company. It focused on coal mining and preparing coal for use. The company dug up, processed, and sold different types of coal. This coal had low sulfur content.
Arch Resources was the second-largest coal supplier in the United States. It was only smaller than Peabody Energy. In 2011, the company provided 15% of the coal used in the country. Most of this coal was bought by power plants to make electricity.
Arch Resources had 7 active mines. It controlled about 5.5 billion tons of coal reserves. These reserves were in places like Appalachia, the Powder River Basin, and Western Bituminous regions. Before it merged, the company had mines in Colorado, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Its main office was in St. Louis, Missouri. The company sold a lot of its coal to power plants, steel makers, and other factories.
In January 2025, Arch Resources joined with Consol Energy. They formed a new company called Core Natural Resources. This was a "merger of equals," meaning both companies were similar in size.
Contents
History of Arch Resources
Arch Coal was created in July 1997. This happened when two companies, Ashland Coal, Inc. and Arch Mineral Corporation, joined together. Arch Mineral started in 1969. It was a partnership between Ashland Oil and the H.L.Hunt family. Ashland Coal began in 1975 as part of Ashland Oil. After the merger, Arch became a top producer of low-sulfur coal in the eastern United States.
Growing the Company
In June 1998, Arch Coal grew into the western United States. It bought the coal businesses of Atlantic Richfield. This included the Black Thunder Coal Mine and Coal Creek mines in Wyoming. It also got the West Elk mine in Colorado. Plus, it gained a 65% share in Canyon Fuel Company. This company ran three mines in Utah.
In October 1998, Arch added more coal reserves near its Black Thunder mine. These were 412 million tons of federal coal. In July 2004, Arch bought the remaining 35% of Canyon Fuel Company. This made its position stronger in western coal.
In August 2004, Arch expanded again in the Powder River Basin. It bought Triton's North Rochelle mine. This mine was next to Arch's Black Thunder operation. By combining them, Arch created a very important mine in the region. In September 2004, Arch added another 719 million tons of federal coal near Black Thunder.
Changes and New Directions
In December 2005, Arch Coal sold some of its eastern mines. This helped the company focus better and prepare for future growth. In August 2006, Arch bought a one-third share in Knight Hawk Coal. This was a growing coal company in the Illinois Basin.
In October 2009, Arch bought the Jacobs Ranch mine from Rio Tinto Group. It combined this with the Black Thunder Coal Mine. This created the largest coal mining complex in the world. In November 2009, Arch also gained rights to mine 731 million tons of coal in Montana.
On June 15, 2011, Arch bought International Coal Group (ICG). This made Arch a top global coal supplier. It also became a major producer of metallurgical coal. In December 2011, Arch Coal won a bid for another 222 million tons of federal coal. This was in the southern Powder River Basin.
In June 2013, Arch Coal announced it would sell its Canyon Fuel Company. This included mines in Utah.
Overcoming Challenges
In January 2016, Arch Coal faced financial difficulties. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This was a plan to reduce its debt by $4.5 billion.
On October 5, 2016, Arch Coal successfully came out of bankruptcy. The company got court approval to remove almost $5 billion in debt. It also had $300 million in cash. Arch Coal started trading on the New York Stock Exchange again.
On May 15, 2020, Arch Coal officially changed its name to Arch Resources. In 2022, the company's stock value went up a lot. This was because coal prices increased.
The Big Merger
In August 2024, Arch Resources and Consol Energy announced a plan to combine. They agreed to a "merger of equals" to create Core Natural Resources.
In January 2025, this merger was successfully completed. Shares of Arch stopped trading on January 14, 2025. Shares of the new company, Core Natural Resources, began trading the next day.
Company and Politics
Arch Coal had a group called Arch Coal PAC. This group, along with other coal companies, gave money to political campaigns. For example, they donated to the 2004 election campaign in West Virginia. That year, the coal industry gave a record amount of money to campaigns.
Environmental Impact
Mining can affect the environment. Companies like Arch Resources work to manage these impacts.
Mountaintop Mining in Appalachia
Arch Coal used a method called mountaintop removal mining. This method changes the shape of mountaintops. It is a debated topic because it can lower the height of mountains. Their mining in the Appalachian Mountains was shown in a TV documentary in 2002.
A lawsuit in 1999, Bragg v. Robertson, was important. It was the first time citizens successfully stopped Arch's plan to fill a valley with mining waste. This would have buried streams near Blair, West Virginia. A judge ruled that burying streams would destroy them. He said, "If there is any life form that cannot acclimate to life deep in a rubble pile, it is eliminated."
By 2012, the company reported that this type of mining made up about 4 percent of its yearly coal production.
Mining in Colorado
In 2015, several environmental groups started a campaign against Arch Coal's mine project. This project was in the Sunset Roadless Area of Gunnison National Forest in Colorado.
Restoring Mined Land
After mining, companies are supposed to fix the land. This is called mine reclamation. Arch Coal used a method called "self-bonding." This meant the company promised it could pay for the cleanup itself. After Arch Coal went bankrupt, the state of Wyoming agreed to accept $75 million. This was instead of the $486 million Arch had promised for cleanup in that state.
Caring for the Environment
Arch Coal's operations reported a very high water compliance rate. This means they followed water quality rules almost perfectly for 10 years.
In 2012, Arch Coal was the first energy company to win the Conservation Legacy Award. This award came from the National Museum of Forest Service History. It recognized Arch Coal's efforts to protect natural resources, wildlife, and water quality during mining and restoration.
