Wyodak Prepares to Tap Additional Coal Mining Tract

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Wyodak Resources Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Black Hills Corporation (NYSE: BKH) (Rapid City, South Dakota), is continuing with several projects to improve material handling capabilities at the 3 million ton year coal mine located near Gillette, Wyoming. Wyodak has hired Kolman (Sibley, Iowa) to construct a 2,500' overland conveyor linking the company's current operations with new mining operations located on the other side of the freeway. The conveyor will cross under the Freeway.

Once completed in July 2003, the company will relocate mobile in-pit crushers and other equipment to the new mining site. The company will also be adding a new feeder breaker and a 50' long mobile shuttle coal transfer conveyor. Originally the company had considered constructing a 2-mile conveyor with freeway crossing, but opted for the less expensive option.

The company has recently announced that it has entered into several agreements with PacifiCorp to supply its PRB (Powder River Basin) coal to PacifiCorp's regional power plants.