Florida Mine Safety Program

06/01/2026

There’s a certain hush that hits you before you go underground, like your brain knows you’re about to step into a story bigger than yourself.

Portal 31 in Lynch doesn’t feel polished or performative. It feels real. The ride into the mine, the darkness, the sounds, the weight of the history around you, it all lands in a way that sticks. You’re not just looking at the past here, you feel surrounded by it.

I’ve always thought eastern Kentucky tells some of the strongest stories in the state, and this is one of them. It reminds you how much grit, sacrifice, and pride built these mountains.

You leave a little quieter than you arrived. 🔗👇🏻

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

Ramaco Resources is pushing deeper into critical minerals through a new memorandum of understanding with REalloys, a North American rare earth processing and magnet supply chain company.

As reported by Mining Weekly, the deal centers on Ramaco’s Brook mine platform in Wyoming, better known as a metallurgical coal asset, but now being evaluated as a source of mixed rare earth carbonate, scandium oxide and other critical mineral products.

Under the framework, REalloys could secure supply rights for up to 20% of Ramaco’s future mixed rare earth carbonate and critical materials output. The companies will work on metallurgical testing, product qualification and commercial studies before any final supply deal is signed.

The attraction is clear. Coal-hosted rare earth projects can sometimes use existing mining districts, transport links, trained labor and infrastructure, rather than starting from a blank map.

Preliminary data from Ramaco points to a stream containing neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, yttrium, samarium, gadolinium and scandium. Several of those elements are used in high-performance magnets needed for defense, robotics, healthcare, energy systems and advanced manufacturing.

REalloys is already planning a phased buildout. Its first stage, linked to Saskatchewan Research Council processing infrastructure, is expected to begin in late 2026 or early 2027. That phase is designed for 525 tonnes per year of neodymium-praseodymium metal, 25 tonnes of dysprosium and 12 tonnes of terbium, before a larger Phase 2 expansion.

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Photo: Ramaco Resources

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06/01/2026

Clinch Resources is adding a new mining method to its ARI metallurgical coal project in southern West Virginia.

The company has acquired and delivered its first Caterpillar HW 300 Highwall Miner to the Lanes Branch surface operation in Brenton, with a second unit due in the coming months.

For Clinch, the appeal is production with a lower capital burden.

Each highwall miner is targeted to produce about 180,000 clean tons of metallurgical coal per year once fully operational. The company is aiming for cash costs below $60 per clean ton from the unit.

The machine is designed to recover coal from exposed seam faces without building a full underground mine. That gives Clinch another way to pull coking coal from parts of its ARI footprint that may not work under conventional surface or underground plans.

The company says the equipment will be used across its 54,000-acre position, while also adding capacity around Lanes Branch.

It comes as Clinch is opening its first two mines and trying to build itself into a low-cost Central Appalachian met coal producer.

The first machine is now in hand.

The second will test whether Clinch can turn a targeted production stream into repeatable growth.

Fact base checked against the company release distributed by Newsfile.

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Photo: Caterpillar

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06/01/2026

This Sunday, volunteer mine rescue teams from across Kentucky gather at Central Bank Center in Lexington for the State Mine Rescue Competition — six days of timed drills, first-aid events, and underground scenarios, May 31 through June 5. These are the highly trained men and women who stand ready to help their fellow miners and keep our communities safe. If you're near Lexington, stop in and cheer your county's team.

05/28/2026

Plans continue to advance in the planned restart of the Jerritt Canyon Mine.

First Majestic is making a $75 million investment to ramp up starting production in the second half of 2027. Prep work is already underway, along with identifying needs and bringing on staff.

https://bit.ly/3PKqR6a

05/28/2026

West Virginia is moving to keep coal power in the fight.

Governor Patrick Morrisey’s office says the state has identified $1.44 billion in refurbishment projects across six coal-fired power plants, with the goal of extending their operating lives by up to 20 years.

The plan would preserve 10.5 gigawatts of generation capacity, a major figure for a state still positioning coal as a backbone of baseload electricity.

But the details are still thin.

The plants have not been publicly named, and critics say ratepayers could be left paying back long-term loans without knowing exactly which facilities are being upgraded, what work is planned, or how costs will flow into power bills.

Supporters frame the plan as energy security, grid stability and industrial recruitment.

Opponents call it a coal bailout with too little transparency.

Either way, West Virginia is making a clear bet: aging coal plants still have another chapter.

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05/28/2026

A new miner can spot danger underground or on a pit bench. He trained for that.

The harder danger is usually himself.

The first mistake is wanting the next seat too soon. Everyone wants the bigger truck, the shovel, the bolter, the foreman’s radio. But mining doesn’t reward people who skip the dirty years. Cleanup, pre-starts, ground checks, spotting, listening, and shutting up at the right time all count.

The second mistake is thinking the job is forever. Commodities drop. Contracts end. Mines sell. Sections close. A six-figure year can disappear faster than a new truck payment.

Then comes the money problem. Big checks make young guys feel rich. Trucks, toys, bars, loans, and bad habits can burn a paycheck before it builds anything. Mining money only works if it survives the layoff.

There’s also the title problem. Buying boots, posting site selfies, or running one shift doesn’t make someone a miner. That name is earned through time, safety, and the trust of the crew.

The best new miners don’t rush the label.

They learn the ground.

They watch the old hands.

They save cash.

And they understand the job can build a life, but pride, speed, and easy money can wreck it first.

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