CUMBERLAND, Ky., Sept. 4, 2013 -- Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) announced that mine rescue teams from two subsidiaries captured top honors at the 2013 Harlan County Safety Days recently held on the campus of the Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College in Cumberland, Ky. Arch Coal's Cumberland River Coal Blue Team from Oven Fork, Ky., was named overall Grand Champion, while Arch's Lone Mountain Processing team from Holmes Mill, Ky., finished second.

Eighteen teams from around the country competed in the annual mine rescue competition.

"These competitions provide valuable practice for our miners," said Charles Snavely, president of Arch Coal's eastern operations. "When competing against some of the finest mine rescue teams in the country, winning the top two awards is extremely gratifying and it is further proof of the focus employees have on safety excellence."

Arch Coal's subsidiaries also had several award-winning teams in a variety of individual categories:

• Bench Bio Pak 240R: Second place – Mike Kincaid, Beckley Gold Team; and third place – Roy Smith, Beckley Gold Team.
• Bench BG4: Second place – Michael Johnson, Cumberland River Coal Blue Team.
• Pre-Shift: First place – Chris Couch, Cumberland River Coal Blue Team.
• First Aid: First place – Mingo Logan Mountain Laurel Gold Team.
• Mine Rescue Day Two: First place – Beckley Gold Team; second place – Cumberland River Coal Blue Team; and third place – Lone Mountain Processing.
• Combination (Mine Rescue/First Aid): First place – Mingo Logan Mountain Laurel Gold Team.

U.S.-based Arch Coal, Inc. is one of the world's top coal producers for the global steel and power generation industries, serving customers on five continents. Its network of mining complexes is the most diversified in the United States, spanning every major coal basin in the nation. The company controls more than 5 billion tons of high-quality metallurgical and thermal coal reserves, with access to all major railroads, inland waterways and a growing number of seaborne trade channels. For more information, visit www.archcoal.com.