March 30, 2017 - Ramaco Resources, Inc. announced today that it has entered into various agreements acquiring, through its subsidiary Ramaco Resources Land Holdings, LLC, approximately 14,762 acres of coal properties in Tazewell and Buchanan Counties, Virginia and McDowell County, West Virginia, from Jewell Ridge Coal Corporation, an indirect subsidiary of The Brink’s Company.  As part of the transaction, Ramaco acquired several coal leaseholds adjacent to its Knox Creek operations.

Among the assets acquired, Ramaco became the sublessor of Revelation Energy, LLC, which now operates several underground coal mines formerly owned by a subsidiary of SunCoke Energy, Inc., and which still supply coal to SunCoke’s nearby Jewell Coke Plant. However, Ramaco also acquired significant properties that are not subleased to Revelation in close proximity to Ramaco’s Knox Creek preparation plant and Norfolk Southern loadout, which may be developed in the future.

In addition to receiving royalty income from the acquired properties, Ramaco will immediately begin planning development of those portions of the properties not currently subleased to Revelation.  Ramaco’s management estimates that the acquisition will yield approximately 10 million mineable tons of metallurgical coal once exploration and reserve analysis efforts are completed.  Ramaco intends to enter into additional subleases with neighboring coal operators as well as develop its own mid- and low-volatile metallurgical coal mines.  Ramaco will also explore the potential for re-mining two existing coal refuse areas which could contain saleable metallurgical-quality material which was a by-product of processing coal prior to the implementation of more modern coal processing technology.

Michael Bauersachs, Ramaco’s President and Chief Executive Officer, noted that “Ramaco’s strong balance sheet was the key driver in completing this transaction.  We were able to provide proper assurance to both Jewell Ridge and our new lessors of our ability to perform in the future, which was critical given our posture as a relatively new coal producer.  This transaction meets our disciplined criteria of acquiring metallurgical coal reserves near existing operations at a low cost of entry.”

As consideration for the transaction, Ramaco paid $125,000, a portion of which is recoupable from future production, and agreed to pay an overriding royalty to Jewell Ridge on production from properties not already subleased to Revelation.

Ramaco Resources, Inc. is an operator and developer of high-quality, low-cost metallurgical coal in central and southern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, and southwestern Pennsylvania.  For more information about us, please visit our website at www.ramacoresources.com.