ST. LOUIS, Jan 05, 2010 -- Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) today announced that four of its subsidiary operations have completed three or more consecutive years without a single lost-time injury. The active operations recognized are: Arch of Wyoming and Thunder Basin's Coal Creek mine in Wyoming; Coal-Mac in West Virginia and Arch Coal Terminal in Kentucky.

"We strive to operate the world's safest coal mines," says John W. Eaves, Arch's president and chief operating officer. "I applaud the employees at Arch of Wyoming, Coal-Mac, Coal Creek and Arch Coal Terminal who clearly understand that working safely is the most important part of their jobs. These employees have collectively worked 4.5 million hours without a lost-time injury while supplying tons of affordable American energy."

Arch of Wyoming has completed nearly eight years and 507,000 employee-hours without a lost-time injury. Coal Creek mine has worked four years and 1.2 million employee-hours without a lost-time injury. Coal-Mac's mining complex has worked more than three years and 2.7 million employee-hours without a lost-time injury. Arch Coal Terminal's loading facility has worked more than five years and 278,000 employee-hours without a lost-time injury.

St. Louis-based Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) is the second largest U.S. coal producer. Through its national network of mines, Arch supplies cleaner-burning, low-sulfur coal to fuel roughly 8 percent of the nation's electricity. Arch attained an overall safety record in 2009 that was three times better than the national coal industry average, representing the company's best year on record as measured by total incident rate for all operating subsidiaries. More information about Arch's subsidiary operations and safety awards is available online: www.archcoal.com/aboutus.