Leer South
By Randy Cheetham , Vice President of External Affairs for Arch Resources , Inc .
More than a decade ago , Arch Resources made the strategic decision to intensify its focus on metallurgical coal , which is an essential input in the production of new steel . In keeping with this decision , Arch commenced the buildout of a portfolio of world-class metallurgical mines centered in the Mountain State . Most recently , Arch completed development of the new , $ 400 million Leer South longwall mine in Barbour County .
Leer South and its companion mine , Leer , have a total workforce of more than 1,000 , with an average wage and benefits package for each employee that exceeds $ 100,000 per year . These mines — which expect to operate in the region for the next 20 years or more — provide so-called primary jobs , which means they create new wealth and support countless service-related jobs in the region . Both mines are recent recipients of the U . S . Department of Interior ’ s Good Neighbor Award , and both have developed red hat programs aimed at cultivating a strong , local workforce by training young people right out of school .
One of the attributes that has helped make Arch an employer of choice is its responsible corporate culture grounded in safety excellence , environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship . Arch ’ s safety record is two-and-a-half times better than the industry average , and the company just completed its third straight year with a perfect water quality record against more than 300,000 parameters tested .
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