Room & Pillar Method

When it comes to underground mining, there are different ways to approach removing coal. At the Sunrise Coal mine in Carlisle, Indiana, we use the room and pillar method, and as the name indicates, large pillars of coal are left standing to help support the roof of the mine. The end result is a grid of open space that has been cleared by a continuous miner machine separated by pillars.

This method is among the safest and most ecologically friendly approach to mining coal today.

Read a third-party description of the Room & Pillar mine approach at our Carlisle Mine from The Sidell Reporter of Vermillion County, IL.

Sunrise Miners

Our dedicated employees are the key to our success. They are our biggest asset and we work diligently to ensure that our tons per man-hour are among the best in the industry while maintaining the highest safety standards. Our Safety Operations team has developed an innovative safety education program that is designed to instill proper compliance proceedures for a more knowledgeable workforce, which will lead to an even safer mining environment. Sunrise has pledged $350,000 for cash incentives for workers who pass the tests within this program.

Learn more about Safety at Sunrise Coal