The open-cut mine shipped 13% more coal than its nearest competitor and loaded more than 5,100 trains. The mine has about 800 employees and annually injects more than $US67 million into the area economy in wages and benefits.

Peabody's three Powder River Basin mines in Wyoming shipped a record 104.2 million tons of coal in 2002, up slightly over the previous year. The North Antelope Rochelle, Caballo and Rawhide mines serve nearly 80 power plants and produce enough fuel to keep the lights on in 14.5 million American homes.

Peabody Energy is the world's largest private-sector coal company, supplying 9% of US electricity generation and more than 2% of worldwide electricity generation.