Alliance Resource Partners history

Martin County's Pontiki underground mine commenced operations in 1977.

Then, in 1980, another Illinois Basin underground mine, the Pattiki mine, was opened in White County, Kentucky.

The Resource Alliance started as the International Fund Raising Group in 1981, when 36 people gathered at the first International Fundraising Workshop (later the IFC).

Alliance's longtime chief executive, Joseph W. Craft III, was named president of MAPCO Coal in 1986.

In early 1989 the Pontiki mine added reserves by purchasing a nearby inactive mine, and MAPCO Coal also acquired another dormant operation in Kentucky, the Scotts Branch mine, folding it into a subsidiary called MC Mining Inc.

In 1994 MAPCO Coal launched a major, $30 million expansion of this surface operation, extending the life of the mine by adding a new 56-cubic-yard shovel and five 240-ton trucks, used to essentially level a mountain piecemeal.

In 1996, management formed Alliance Coal Corporation and led a buyout of MAPCO Inc.'s coal operations with the financial support of The Beacon Group.

By 1998, Alliance sold 15.1 million tons of coal and was recognized as the sixth largest coal producer in the eastern United States.

ARLP began a $30 million extension of its Pattiki mine in southern Illinois during 2000.

Construction of a new mine shaft and ancillary facilities began in 2001 at the Dotiki mining complex.

For the year 2003, Alliance reported more record results.

Alliance continued to increase coal production in 2004, but in February the company had to contend with a fire at the Dotiki mine, which took almost a month to extinguish.

In 2006 the company added nearly 100 million tons of high sulfur coal reserves in Union County, Kentucky, through the purchase of River View Coal, L.L.C. Strong sales and earnings continued in the first quarter of 2006.

Alliance acquired reserves and opened River View in 2009.