CHARLESTON, W.Va., Feb. 3, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) today announced that its Appalachian operations earned seven prestigious safety and environmental awards in West Virginia, including the state's top honor for mine reclamation.

Coal-Mac, Inc. received West Virginia's top environmental achievement today.  The West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) presented Coal-Mac's Phoenix 3 with the 2011 Greenlands Award for overall outstanding environmental performance and achievement in surface mine reclamation. This marks Coal-Mac's fourth time to claim the top Greenlands Award and the ninth time that an Arch subsidiary has earned the honor.

The West Virginia DEP also presented a statewide reclamation award to Arch Coal's Mingo Logan Coal Company and its Mountain Laurel complex for exceptional environmental care associated with the conveyor extension at the Daniel Hollow Coarse Refuse Handling Facility.  By using innovative drainage and material handling design, Mountain Laurel installed a refuse conveyor system that allows environmentally sound and cost-effective fill construction.

In addition to earning two state environmental awards, Arch subsidiaries garnered five West Virginia state safety awards yesterday.  The following five operations and facilities achieved Mountaineer Guardian Awards for exemplary safety records achieved during calendar year 2011: Mingo Logan's Mountain Laurel Cardinal preparation plant; Eastern's Birch River mine and preparation plant; and Wolf Run's Imperial and Sentinel mines.

"Our men and women in West Virginia have achieved the state's top awards for their unwavering focus on safety and environmental care," said John W. Eaves, Arch's president and chief operating officer.  "We're honored to lead our diversified coal industry peers in safety and environmental performance and to strive for continuous improvement year after year."

U.S.-based Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) is a top five global coal producer and marketer, and the most diversified American coal company, with mining complexes across every major U.S. coal supply basin.  In 2011, Arch continued to lead the U.S. coal industry in safety performance and environmental compliance among large, diversified producers.

SOURCE Arch Coal, Inc.

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