Rockhouse Creen Development

America is in a recession, or so says top economic analysts. GM and Ford both are cutting production and laying off workers. Many manufacturing jobs are leaving the U.S. to be outsourced in other countries with cheaper costs. The economic future of the country is unknown, but there are parts of the country that are doing quite well. Appalachia is enjoying a coal boom that it has not seen since the 1970’s. We recently went to a small town nestled in the mountains of Southern West Virginia just to see how things are. Gilbert, West Virginia is located in Mingo County and is typical of most small mining towns in that mining is not only a job but also, a way of life. International Resource Partners is a mining company which owns and operates three subsidiaries around the Gilbert area: Hampden Coal, Rock House Creek Development and Chafin Branch Coal. Hampden Coal is the preparation and shipping division, operating a prep plant and two load outs served by both Norfolk Southern railway and CSX railway. Chaffin Branch, the surface division operates one surface operation at this time with future operations possible. Rockhouse Creek Development, the underground division, has seven operating units in five underground mines with more units opening in the near future. Rockhouse Creek, which can trace its history, all the way back to the 1950’s, produces about 1.1 million tons of high-grade metallurgical coal from the Cedar grove and No 2 gas seams and ships to Brazil, India, China and Canada.

We had a chance to visit Rockhouse Creek Developments number eight mine. Number eight is their top producing underground mine producing fifty to sixty thousand clean ton of coal per month from three continuous miner sections in the No.2 gas seam. What is really impressive is how well organized this operation is. Underground height was observed from forty-five inches to around fifty inches. A combination of Joy fourteen series continuous miners and DBT 25 mo continuous miners are used with Joy/Narco 21sc shuttle cars providing haulage. International Resource Partners also own Logan and Kanawha coal sales. Logan and Kanawha is the country’s oldest coal sales group.

We also sat down and spoke with Rockhouse Creek Development’s Underground Mine Manager, Scott Mills. Mr. Mills is a coal miner with thirty-seven years underground experience with top producing companies such as Massey Energy, Arch Coal, Consol Energy, and the once mighty Island Creek Coal Company. Mr. Mills is a graduate from Southern West Virginia Community College in Business and has received many management classes from prior employers. Commenting on his employer, Mills said “I am very excited to be with a growth and employee orientated company.” He also further pointed out that since he had been with the company it had grown from a company with two underground mines and seventy-four employees to five underground mines and two hundred and ninety five employees. “We have and continue to invest in the future by making capital improvements by purchasing new equipment and property acquisitions,” said Mills. Rockhouse Creek Development is not without its growing pains. They have had to train an almost entirely new workforce. This is evident in that the company has its very own electrical apprentice training program and Mine foreman certificate program. Rockhouse also provides management and legality classes for its mine supervisors. Rockhouse Creek Development is an equal opportunity employer and has an employee open door policy. For all inquiries please contact:

Scott Mills
General Manager- Underground Mines (304) 784-8455
smills@hampdencoal.com