Luminant reclamation gets international attention
Luminant's Thermo Mine, near Sulphur Springs, and Winfield Mine, near Winfield, which fuel the company's Monticello Power Plant, recently played host to Mongolia's deputy director of fuel policy from the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy. Boldkhuu Nanzad visited the mines Friday, Oct. 15, to get a look at best practices in surface mining and reclamation. The event was part of a three-week tour through the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program.
Jeff Mason, manager at both mines, served as tour guide for Nanzad, an interpreter and a liaison for the State Department program. "Mr. Nanzad was very impressed with our reclamation efforts, as well as our other accomplishments. He asked a lot of very insightful questions ranging from dust control to transporting the lignite," Mason said.
Mongolia has vast reserves of coal estimated at 200 billion tons but is only mining about seven million tons each year. While Mongolia tries to develop its coal reserves, Nanzad is focused on understanding how coal can be developed more cleanly and efficiently, and with minimal impact on the environment.
"Mr. Nanzad really did his research before coming out here. He read about the awards we've won for our reclamation program, and he wanted to see it firsthand because Mongolia currently isn't doing any reclamation," Mason added. "We are extremely proud of our efforts, and we like to show them off."
After visiting the Luminant mines, Nanzad filled out a survey and was asked to rate his visit between 1 (low) and 5 (high). He rated it a 6 and said the purpose of his visit to Texas was fulfilled 110 percent.
"Luminant's efforts have made a new friend for the United States. Well done," said Jerry Jordan, liaison to the State Department program and member of the North Texas Council for International Visitors.
For almost 40 years, Luminant has set the standard in restoring the land after mining. Luminant's goal is to quickly return mined lands to productivity and achieve full release of all regulatory reclamation obligations.
The excellence of Luminant's land reclamation program has been recognized with nearly 90 awards. They include the Director's Award, the nation's highest honor for advancing the science of reclamation, from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining. Luminant has received this award an unprecedented five times, with the OSM describing Luminant's program as a "model for others in the coal industry to follow."
The company has also received the Texas Reclamation Award, Texas' top honor for quality in reclaimed land, 13 times from the Railroad Commission of Texas. As of the end of 2009, Luminant had:
* Reclaimed more than 66,000 acres for uses such as forests, pastureland and wildlife habitat
* Planted almost 29 million trees on company land now certified as a Tree Farm by the Texas Forest Service and the Texas Forestry Association
* Increased the extent of prime farmland soils at the Monticello Winfield Mine area from 38 percent to more than 65 percent
For more information on Luminant's environmental programs and accomplishments, visit www.Luminant.com/environment.
Jeff Mason, manager at both mines, served as tour guide for Nanzad, an interpreter and a liaison for the State Department program. "Mr. Nanzad was very impressed with our reclamation efforts, as well as our other accomplishments. He asked a lot of very insightful questions ranging from dust control to transporting the lignite," Mason said.
Mongolia has vast reserves of coal estimated at 200 billion tons but is only mining about seven million tons each year. While Mongolia tries to develop its coal reserves, Nanzad is focused on understanding how coal can be developed more cleanly and efficiently, and with minimal impact on the environment.
"Mr. Nanzad really did his research before coming out here. He read about the awards we've won for our reclamation program, and he wanted to see it firsthand because Mongolia currently isn't doing any reclamation," Mason added. "We are extremely proud of our efforts, and we like to show them off."
After visiting the Luminant mines, Nanzad filled out a survey and was asked to rate his visit between 1 (low) and 5 (high). He rated it a 6 and said the purpose of his visit to Texas was fulfilled 110 percent.
"Luminant's efforts have made a new friend for the United States. Well done," said Jerry Jordan, liaison to the State Department program and member of the North Texas Council for International Visitors.
For almost 40 years, Luminant has set the standard in restoring the land after mining. Luminant's goal is to quickly return mined lands to productivity and achieve full release of all regulatory reclamation obligations.
The excellence of Luminant's land reclamation program has been recognized with nearly 90 awards. They include the Director's Award, the nation's highest honor for advancing the science of reclamation, from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining. Luminant has received this award an unprecedented five times, with the OSM describing Luminant's program as a "model for others in the coal industry to follow."
The company has also received the Texas Reclamation Award, Texas' top honor for quality in reclaimed land, 13 times from the Railroad Commission of Texas. As of the end of 2009, Luminant had:
* Reclaimed more than 66,000 acres for uses such as forests, pastureland and wildlife habitat
* Planted almost 29 million trees on company land now certified as a Tree Farm by the Texas Forest Service and the Texas Forestry Association
* Increased the extent of prime farmland soils at the Monticello Winfield Mine area from 38 percent to more than 65 percent
For more information on Luminant's environmental programs and accomplishments, visit www.Luminant.com/environment.
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