The producer, which announced the group’s formation early Monday, said the mission was to improve mine health and safety by funding the projects of qualified academic institutions, not-for-profit entities and individuals.

Alpha will contribute a total of $48 million to the foundation’s development.

Producer officials confirmed the foundation was established in line with its non-prosecution agreement with the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, as well as the US Department of Justice, which it finalized last December.

Heading up the organization’s administration and appointed with the approval of the USAO will be three well-known industry figures – West Virginia University College of Engineering and Mineral Resources professor Dr Keith Heasley, University of Massachusetts Lowell emeritus professor of work environment Dr David Wegman and Virginia Tech professor and director of the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research Dr Michael Karmis.

All three are qualified mine safety and health experts and stem from diverse professional and academic backgrounds.

Alpha said it would host an inaugural meeting this summer to discuss funding priorities.

“The safety of our employees is the highest value of our company and mine safety and health is imperative to the success of our industry,” chief executive officer Kevin Crutchfield said.

“We are proud to establish and fund the Alpha Foundation and also appoint three leading experts to advance its objectives.

“This presents a tremendous opportunity to drive the latest developments and innovation in mine safety and health to the benefit of miners around the world."

US Attorney R Booth Goodwin II commented on the establishment of the independent entity saying Heasley, Wegman and Karmis were leaders in mine safety and workplace safety and “I am pleased they have agreed to serve on the foundation’s board”.

“Each board member brings many years of research experience and world-class expertise that will help the foundation foster life-saving advances in mine safety and health.”

Goodwin noted the research and development component of the agreement the USAO, DOJ and Alpha set up last December “holds the promise of breakthroughs that will transform mine safety in the coming decades”

“The foundation will jumpstart innovation and put brilliant minds to work on the risks that coal miners face,” he said.

“We look forward to a future in which coal mining is as safe as any other occupation.”

Alpha’s unprecedented $210 million agreement stemmed from the April 2010 UBB explosion.

Under the deal’s terms, Alpha paid $34.8 million to resolve outstanding citations, violations and orders stemming not only from the federal UBB investigation but also from other non-UBB related matters involving legacy Massey divisions incurred prior to the acquisition.

It also paid $46.5 million to the families of the killed UBB workers – $16.5 million of the amount had already been paid out or would be paid out in settlements.

The third component was a $48 million trust to fund research and development projects for the improvement of miner health and safety, which resulted in the establishment of the foundation.

One of the largest chunks of the settlement, $80 million, was earmarked for investments over the next two years to add safety measures at legacy Massey mines and Alpha mines. This includes things such as ongoing safety skills and compliance training, the construction of a state-of-the-art safety training facility and the development and placement of “next-generation” mine safety equipment.