Oak Grove Mine has an annual capacity of 2.5 million tons of metallurgical coal. Its coal is high-quality, low-volatile and is low in sulfur with excellent coking characteristics.

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Located in the Blue Creek seam in Alabama and recognized as the source for some of the best coking coals in the world, Oak Grove Mine is owned and operated by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. The company says the mine, opened in 1975, has an annual capacity of 2.5 million tons of metallurgical coal. The coal produced by Oak Grove is high-quality, low-volatile and is low in sulfur with excellent coking characteristics, according to the company, and it expects it to continue producing for the next 18 to 20 years.

As impressive as the production at Oak Grove Mine is, it’s only one of the successful properties owned by Cleveland-Cliffs, a growing mining firm with an extensive history in the industry. Based in Cleveland, the company operates iron ore and coking coal mines in North America and owns interests in mining projects in Australia and Brazil. Cleveland-Cliffs says it is “the largest producer of iron ore pellets in North America and a major supplier of metallurgical coal to the global steelmaking industry.”

The company says its history is an indicator of its strengths. “In business, where you have been is as important as where you are going – by building on existing strengths to lay the foundation for future success,” the company says. Founded in 1847 as the Cleveland Iron Co., the company began mining for iron ore in remote areas of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Meanwhile, the company was also known as an innovator in the iron mining industry, developing infrastructure to move iron ore to steel companies and developing production of iron ore pellets from lower-grade ores.

“Reborn as Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. in the mid-1980s, the company has remained in the forefront of the North American iron ore business since opening its first mine in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 1850, achieving longevity by successfully adapting its operations to major changes that drove many competitors out of business,” it says.

“Today’s Cleveland-Cliffs is a vital and growing mining company with a solid North American franchise and expanding global assets,” CEO Joseph Carrabba said in a statement. “Of the 11 iron ore mines in North America, we manage six. The company conducts business with virtually all of the integrated steel producers in North America. Cliffs’ mines now account for approximately 46 percent of North American pellet production – 28 percent for its own account – earning Cliffs the No. 1 market-share position in North America. Internationally, our presence now extends to Australia, Latin America, and Asia. We remain committed to further deploying our company’s unique mining and processing knowledge to maximize shareholder value.”

Industry Innovator
Cleveland-Cliffs specializes in the extraction of iron ore and coal, and the company says it has been on the leading-edge of these sectors since its inception. “From the first application of electrical power in Michigan’s underground mines to the sophisticated computers and GPS systems used today, Cliffs has been an innovator in the application of new technology to this centuries-old profession of mineral extraction,” the company says.

“That successful research and development allowed for what was once considered millions of tons of useless rock to be turned into an iron ore reserve that fuels company operations today. Cliffs’ engineering and technical staffs are now engaged in full-time support of its operations and improvement of existing products.”

The company produces 13 grades of iron ore pellets, including standard, fluxed and high-manganese varieties. Cleveland-Cliffs says its goal is to make work as easy as possible for steelmakers. “The company actively strives to improve cost and steelmaking performance by minimizing chemical and physical variability of all products,” it says.

More Mines
In addition to Oak Grove Mine, Cleveland-Cliffs has two metallurgical coal mines in West Virginia. Pinnacle Mine is located in Pineville, W.V., and produces approximately 4 million tons a year. The company says Pinnacle features the only longwall plow system in the United States.

Also located in Pineville is the Green Ridge Mine, which also produces nearly 4 million tons of coal a year. “Employing the highly productive room and pillar mining method, the Green Ridge Mine raw coal product is trucked to the Pinnacle preparation plant for processing and shipment to the customer,” the company says.�