The association and the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training honored Patriot’s Big Mountain preparation facility, the Campbell’s Creek No. 7 and Coalburg No. 2 mines, the Guyan surface operation, the Rivers Edge mine and Rocklick’s Matewan tunnel operation.

In addition, the company’s Samples highwall miner operation, part of the Paint Creek complex, was presented with a District 4 Pacesetter Award from the US Mine Safety and Health Administration for 2009. Pacesetters are earned by operations making the lowest non-fatal days lost injury rates in the year.

"Safety is our top priority – period,” Patriot president Paul Vining said.

“Continuous improvement in safety performance is part of our daily routine, with an ultimate goal of zero accidents. In particular, the fact that our safety performance was recognized at underground and surface mines, in addition to support facilities, attests to the effectiveness of our comprehensive safety program.”

Patriot has 14 active mining complexes in Appalachia and the Illinois Basin, and controls about 1.8 billion tons of proven and probable reserves.