Facilities

Affinity Coal Company

In 2010, United Coal Company launched its third subsidiary in West Virginia, Affinity Coal Company, by opening an idled coal mine and constructing a new preparation plant. Affinity was a key addition to UCC and its parent company, Metinvest – providing high-quality metallurgical coal for the low vol global market.

Located in Midway, W.Va., Affinity’s 550 ton-per-hour preparation plant is supported by a reopened coal mine that was started in the 1930’s and continued to operate until the 1980’s.The project has brought 300-plus jobs to the area and was a significant investment for not only Metinvest, but for the local communities as well.

This leading metallurgical coal mine is meeting the ever-changing demands of the steel industry.

Carter Roag Coal Company

Carter Roag Coal Company has operated as a subsidiary of United Coal Company since 2004, when UCC purchased permitted reserves in Randolph and Upshur counties in West Virginia.The property has produced high-volatile metallurgical Sewell coal for several decades.

The company operates one deep mine – Morgan Camp – located near Helvetia, W.Va. Carter Roag’s coal preparation facility, the Starbridge Plant is also near Helvetia, W.Va., and is a 550-ton-per-hour operation.

Pocahontas Coal Company

In 2005, United Coal Company purchased the assets of Beckley, W.Va.-based White Mountain Mining Co., LLC, and certain affiliates to establish Pocahontas Coal Company.

Pocahontas was idled in 2014 due to market conditions, but resumed production in 2017 at one of its highwall miner operations. The subsidiary also started a contractor auger operation in 2018. Production from the highwall miner and the auger is hauled to and washed at the Affinity Preparation Plant.

Wellmore Coal Company

In 2006, United Coal Company purchased The Rapoca Group, LLC, headquartered in Bristol, Va., and renamed the operation Wellmore Coal Company in recognition of United Coal’s origins in Buchanan County.

Wellmore has both company-owned and contract operations that include two company-operated underground mines, one company-operated surface mines, seven contract mines, three shops, two preparation plants and rail-loading facilities, a lab and administration office.

The company’s Splashdam reserves are some of the most sought-after mid/high-volatile metallurgical coals in the Central Appalachian basin – supplying both domestic and international markets. Wellmore produces approximately 1.8 million tons of coal and is poised to re-emerge as a dominant supplier of mid/high-volatile metallurgical coal.