Published in the May 2007 American Longwall Magazine

After an honorable discharge from the US Army, where he served two years, Palacios began his industry career as a helper on a shortwall machine at Spring Canyon Coal. During his two years at the mine he also labored as a shuttle car operator, 14 BU operator, motorman and shot firer.

Little did he know at that time how far the community would take him. His next stop would be Royal Coal Company, followed by what he thought would be his first job at Kaiser Steel’s Sunnyside operation – little did he know it would become a vital part of his career and to the mining industry as a whole.

It was during his time at Kaiser that he began expanding on his experience as a miner, adding titles such as driller, roof bolter and driller jack-leg operator to his resume. It was also when longwalls became a fixture of his life and of the mines throughout the region.

It was 1960 when Palacios was named longwall section foreman for Kaiser’s Sunnyside mine. After playing an instrumental part in the installation of the western United States’ first longwall face, he would serve nearly four more years in the position.

A promotion would be in order for him in the meantime to mine foreman and longwall section foreman, but after just one year of service he earned the title that helped make him an industry icon – Sunnyside’s longwall superintendent.

Not only was Palacios responsible for the maintenance, ventilation, safety and production of three longwall faces, he also had a significant role in the moving and production commencement of more than 40 longwalls in a decade’s time. During this time two world records were also set for production in a 24-hour period.

His highest positions with Kaiser Steel before the company went bankrupt were general underground superintendent for Sunnyside – during which time he continued supervision of the No. 1 and No. 3 longwall sections as well as other vital aspects of the operation’s daily procedure – and production superintendent, his final seat before retiring. For a year during that time, his travels took him to Carbon County Coal in Wyoming, where he worked as general superintendent.

In Palacios’ career, he spent time in other coal centers throughout the world, including Mexico, Germany and Canada, to study mining methods internationally as well as to bring back new longwall equipment for US operations. Additionally, he has visited nearly all of the longwall mines in the nation, observing and studying the variances in continuous miners, haulage methods, belt systems and shafts, roof control and ventilation.

Now enjoying his retirement, but having never really left the industry, Palacios resides in Price, Utah with his wife and has three adult children. He calls himself a “hard-working, energetic” individual – and one of his high-profile understudies is inclined to agree.

“John and I first met at Kaiser Steel’s Sunnyside mine in Utah, where John was running the first longwall in the west,” said producing giant Consol Energy chief J Brett Harvey. “They called him ‘Johnny Smoke’ because he could show up anywhere in the mine, anytime!”

Harvey expanded on his attributes, calling Palacios “aggressive, determined, and a real leader” to him and others in the industry. “And that’s what he taught me: about leadership, about having a positive attitude and about motivation.

“In the western US, in those early stages, longwalls could have failed to gain acceptance, but they didn’t because of him. John is a true pioneer in my eyes.”