ST. LOUIS, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Patriot Coal Corporation today announced that it has received three awards from the Kentucky Department for Natural Resources. Patriot's Highland underground mine and Grand Eagle surface mine and preparation plant each received awards for best safety performance in the West Kentucky region for the year ended September 30, 2008. Additionally, the Grand Eagle surface mine received an award for its reclamation efforts. The safety awards were earned by mines that exhibited the lowest accident frequency, the lowest number of violations per inspection shift, and the best overall safety performance.
"At Patriot, a big part of our mission is our emphasis on safety. Maintaining a safe workplace is the right thing to do, and it also makes Patriot more efficient and more productive. Being a good steward of the environment is another key mission of our company," noted Patriot President and Chief Operating Officer Paul H. Vining. "We are proud of the Highland and Grand Eagle employees for achieving outstanding safety performance every day and for their unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship. Their efforts exemplify Patriot's core values."
About Patriot Coal
Patriot Coal Corporation is the third largest producer and marketer of coal in the eastern United States, with 16 mining complexes in Appalachia and the Illinois Basin. The Company ships to domestic and international electric utilities, industrial users and metallurgical coal customers, and controls approximately 1.9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves. The Company's common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PCX.
