Exploring the Idled Pathfork Prep Plant & RB #11 Mine
Published 2019-07-18
This prep plant wound down operations in 2013, and has been on standby ever since. A crew has been on site screening waste material to recover some usable coal; this explains the portable screen we found. Local sources suggest that the plant's owner plans to refurbish it and begin processing coal again; the company owns several mines in this valley, one of which will show up in a brief video later. There is easy truck access from the mines to the plant, and the plant has a rail spur, so this is likely to be successful provided prices for thermal coal support the action. Unfortunately, eastern Kentucky lacks the metallurgical coal reserves of Virginia and West Virginia, and is correspondingly very vulnerable to recent downturns in the thermal coal market.
I've been unable to pin down the identity of the flooded drift mine on the property. I thought it may have been the RB #11 Mine, operated by the RB Coal Company, but MSHA records indicate that the RB #11 is on standby with periodic underground entries conducted, so that can't be right. A mine guard we spoke to at another complex said that this whole valley was full of mines operated by RB, so it may just be a matter of finding the correct mine number.
All Comments (19)
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I grew up going to Blackstar Pentecostal church, my family all lived (some still do) in Pathfork and Blackmont growing up.
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I worked in the mines around Harlan County for 43 years at one time you could work at one of the large mining companies for 30 or more years and retire with a good income for life.
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My grandfather and many of my family since gone worked the mines at Blackstar Coal Camp. My mother attended school at the Blackstar Camp and told many fond memories. Thanks for the video.
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I was there when that mine was started.. RB #11.... Had a miner man and (1) car driver.. Cut a place, then go bolt it... Water was bad then, had a old Jeffery deck miner, feller got mad at having to get wet, afraid of electrocution when running the miner.. It wasn't 3 breaks in hardly, shuttle car would dump outside.. I literally had to talk David Partin into setting a pump that day for them, me and him set it... I was working outside as a greenbean.... A crap hole.. Sure was!
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Awesome video, very cool! Being in the industry gives your videos such a neat perspective on mine operations. I'm always surprised your channel doesn't have more subscribers, you have such unique content!
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I worked straight across the creek from the plant in 1991 for Mike Bradford I remember it well
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Nice video! I worked with a guy that worked at RB and heard enough stories about it everyday that I practically worked there myself.
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Hauled a lot of coal from the strip job and the two deep mines over on the Smith side
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I’ve rode an old Mack DM800 loaded with Blue Gem off that mountain a time or two myself.
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Please visit the abandoned Swanee Train Loadout in Isom Ky, I’ve been staring at it for most of my life just wondering “I wonder what’s inside” it’s impossible to miss if you just look up Isom Kentucky on google maps, it’s about 4 acres of concrete 2 stacking tubes 2 small buildings a shaker deck and one conveyor left from when they were still using it. I think the county is using it for something now but they don’t work on sundays😉 you can get in if you just walk along the rail road tracks a little bit.
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thats slate so that tell me the top was not sandstone 20 years underground
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Well ,the equipment that you refrence that is recovering coal from the reclamation project was idle because we couldn't get paid. The deadbeat owners are less than scum!
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Great narration, great video voice, you need practice in holding the camera still.
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Very good video. Thank you
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That's not path fork bud. That's Alva/ black star Kentucky
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Hey Porty1119! You familar with Eagle Picher Mine near Joplin MO?
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the coal goes thru the prep plant it will separate coal and it will crush coal
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You should went on and cut to the right went up the hill to 4 and 5 mine y u was up their
