In 2007, Armstrong Energy began making preparations and buying equipment to facilitate their planned operations in Muhlenberg and Ohio Counties in Western Kentucky. Today, Armstrong Coal controls more than 300 million tons of proven and probable coal reserves in Western Kentucky and produces approximately 9.5 million tons of coal annually from three surface mines and three underground mines. Problem When reviving the mines, officials at Armstrong had many equipment needs, one being an efficient system that could size the coal to their specifications. For one mine, the need was for 2" (5 cm), and for two nearby sites, the need was for 2.5" (6.3 cm) coal. “We were in need of a system that would size the coal consistently to spec and separate out the quality coal from the unusable rock and other material,” said Sonnie Baird, Director of Coal Preparation for Armstrong. “Rocks and timbers getting into the system can cause downtime and wear and tear on the machines.” “The system had to be high-efficiency and low-maintenance as we run all day every day,” Baird continued. Dust was another big concern for Armstrong. Coal mining generates dust, which can build up on the ground and damage the equipment. It’s also unsafe for workers and is regulated by environmental laws.