During the mid-1970’s Armco Steel Corporation, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Evans Coal Company, now Evans Coal L.P., began acquiring leases on a large block of coal located northeast of Poteau, Oklahoma.
By the end of 1977, this block of coal consisted of 10,365 acres of fee coal, leases on private coal, and a Federal Coal Lease. A drilling program was designed and started in the last quarter of 1976 and completed by the end of 1977. Based on the information developed during the program, Armco’s material resource staff estimated the Poteau Reserve contained 82 million tons of coal-in-place in the Upper and Lower Hartshorne coal seams, two seams of coal with seam heights in the upper averaging 46.9 inches and the lower seam averaging 54 inches, Pocahontas type low volatile coal, with an average analysis as follows: Volatile 16.97%, Ash 8.69%, Sulfur 1.03%.
In 1977 and 1978, a 52 acre portal site was acquired to access the coal seams from the outcrop. The location of the portal site was dictated by the presence of extensive known underground workings in the Lower Hartshorne seam by the Covington Coal Company in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and the need to locate the portal above the 100 year flood plane of the Poteau River and James Fork Creek. By April of 1978, an Engineering Report for development of a test mine had been completed and sent to the Board of Directors of Armco Steel for approval. The project, designated PROJECT 7793, was approved and funded with work beginning in May of 1978.
Evans Mine #1 (Test) produced its first coal on November 30, 1978 as mining began from the highwall with five entries. Coking plant tests were performed and the test shipment of Evans/Hartshorne low-volatile coal performed similarly to Pocahontas-type low-volatile coals when coked with Robin Hood high volatile coal.
In 1979, Armco’s Houston Coke Ovens in Houston, Texas closed and shrinking demand led to the close of the test mine. During 1981 and 1982, a Task Force was assigned to evaluate the Test Mine and recommend a course of action. The Task Force found the mine had accomplished the goals set for the project by:
In addition, Evans Coal L.P. has two other separate reserve holdings of metallurgical coal. These are the McCurtain and McAlester Reserves.
The McCurtain Reserve has in excess of 21 million tons of coal with an average thickness of 41 inches. Lone Star Steel Company used this coal extensively in the making of tubular goods. The average analysis is as follows:
Volatile 21.71%
Ash 8.06%
Sulfur 1.30%
The McAlester Reserve is a high volatile coking coal that is estimated to be 40 million tons in place. The average analysis is as follows:
Volatile 38.0%
Ash 3.69%
Sulfur 0.71%
All Engineering Reports, Feasibility Studies, Washability Studies, and Coking Laboratory and Quality Studies for both Armco Steel and Evans Coal L.P. are currently maintained on file.
By the end of 1977, this block of coal consisted of 10,365 acres of fee coal, leases on private coal, and a Federal Coal Lease. A drilling program was designed and started in the last quarter of 1976 and completed by the end of 1977. Based on the information developed during the program, Armco’s material resource staff estimated the Poteau Reserve contained 82 million tons of coal-in-place in the Upper and Lower Hartshorne coal seams, two seams of coal with seam heights in the upper averaging 46.9 inches and the lower seam averaging 54 inches, Pocahontas type low volatile coal, with an average analysis as follows: Volatile 16.97%, Ash 8.69%, Sulfur 1.03%.
In 1977 and 1978, a 52 acre portal site was acquired to access the coal seams from the outcrop. The location of the portal site was dictated by the presence of extensive known underground workings in the Lower Hartshorne seam by the Covington Coal Company in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and the need to locate the portal above the 100 year flood plane of the Poteau River and James Fork Creek. By April of 1978, an Engineering Report for development of a test mine had been completed and sent to the Board of Directors of Armco Steel for approval. The project, designated PROJECT 7793, was approved and funded with work beginning in May of 1978.
Evans Mine #1 (Test) produced its first coal on November 30, 1978 as mining began from the highwall with five entries. Coking plant tests were performed and the test shipment of Evans/Hartshorne low-volatile coal performed similarly to Pocahontas-type low-volatile coals when coked with Robin Hood high volatile coal.
In 1979, Armco’s Houston Coke Ovens in Houston, Texas closed and shrinking demand led to the close of the test mine. During 1981 and 1982, a Task Force was assigned to evaluate the Test Mine and recommend a course of action. The Task Force found the mine had accomplished the goals set for the project by:
- Proving the roof and floor conditions were good for mining.
- Demonstrated that off-the-shelf mining equipment with some modifications to handle steep grades would work.
- Demonstrated the coking qualities of the coal by a full oven test and the coal performed better than expected.
In addition, Evans Coal L.P. has two other separate reserve holdings of metallurgical coal. These are the McCurtain and McAlester Reserves.
The McCurtain Reserve has in excess of 21 million tons of coal with an average thickness of 41 inches. Lone Star Steel Company used this coal extensively in the making of tubular goods. The average analysis is as follows:
Volatile 21.71%
Ash 8.06%
Sulfur 1.30%
The McAlester Reserve is a high volatile coking coal that is estimated to be 40 million tons in place. The average analysis is as follows:
Volatile 38.0%
Ash 3.69%
Sulfur 0.71%
All Engineering Reports, Feasibility Studies, Washability Studies, and Coking Laboratory and Quality Studies for both Armco Steel and Evans Coal L.P. are currently maintained on file.