United Coal Company

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UCC Timeline
1970 March - United Coal Company began operations as a small surface mining contractor in West Virginia. June - A second contract operation began in Buchanan County, Va.	1971 September - United acquired its first rail loading facilities known as Wellmore #1 and Wellmore #3. Wellmore #1 was acquired along with the stock of Wellmore Coal Corporation. Wellmore #3 was acquired from Riverside Coal Company. October - National Collieries Inc. was formed as a sales agency for United.	1972 November - Wellmore #2 was acquired from Wise County Coal.

1973 March - Wellmore #4 was acquired from Leetown coal. May - Star Coal Company was purchased. July - Wellmore #5 was leased from Vansant Coal Corporation. November - United purchased assets of Buchanan County Coal Corporation in Big Rock, Va.	1974 January - Wellmore purchased Chris Coal, known as Wellmore #10. February - United began its mine supply sales division – United Supply Company and Unite Inc. August - Wellmore acquired the rail facilities of Norma Mining in Tazewell County, Va., known as Wellmore #11.	1975 April - Wellmore acquired Riverside Coal Company, operating on the Ohio River. December - Wellmore #7, then a state-of- the-art preparation plant, began operation.

1976 June - Wellmore acquired Wellmore #12 on Garden Creek in Buchanan County, Va.	1977 February - United purchased its first Belfry operation in Burnwell, Ky., known as Belfry #1. August - United purchased Crystal Coal Corporation in Big Rock, Va., known as Wellmore #14. December - United purchased Dunavant Enterprises in Hatfield, Ky., known as Belfry #2.	1978 February - United purchased Dal-Tex Coal Corporation, Sharples, W.Va. June - Wellmore #8 began operation.

1979 February - United purchased White Ash Mining, known as Belfry #3. April - United formed a new research and development department. November - United acquired Turquoise Mining Corporation in Paintsville, Ky., known as Belfry #4.	1980 May - United integrated supply chain with acquisition of Birmingham Bolt Company, a leading manufacturer of roof bolts. July - United built its first slope mine, Almore #1. September - United Supply Company expanded to a fourth store in Martin, Ky. December - The company’s coal safety and training center was completed in Grundy, Va.	1981 May - United led coal exports at Hampton Roads from the Norfolk pier. August - Hilltop Energy Corporation began operations in Dorton, Ky. September - United’s Virginia Division acquired Kentucky properties, including Wellmore #17 and Wellmore #18 preparation plants.

1982 January - United Supply Company sold its subsidiary, Unite Inc., to Austin Powder Inc. August - Belfry Coal Corporation purchased Temco Coal Inc. in Johnson County, Ky.	1983 March - United acquired overseas offices known as Unicoal AG.	1984 April - Patrick Coal Corporation, known as Wellmore #20, was acquired. July - United expanded into real estate with the formation of UCC Realty Corporation. August - United sold Birmingham Bolt Company, retaining a minority equity position. October - United diversified into oil and natural gas, opening another new division, United Oil & Minerals Inc., in Austin, Texas.

1985 October – December - United purchased three oil and gas companies: Gold Lake Resources, Expetro Resources Inc., and Macquest Resources Inc.	1986 February - United purchased Virginia Metals Industries located in Orange, Va. United also purchased Magoffin County Coal Company as part of the Tri-State Division. November - United purchased the outstanding 51 percent of Lonesome Pine Fuels Inc.	1987 January - United Coal Company reorganized and created a new parent company, The United Company, to recognize United’s expansion into other businesses. March - United Coal Company purchased Knox Creek Coal Corp., and added reserves to the Virginia Division; United Energy Company (parent company of the oil and gas operations) acquired Star Oil & Gas, Ltd. (Calgary), a Canadian oil & natural gas producer.

1988 April - Belfry purchased assets of Grace Coal Corporation.	1989 December - United Supply Company purchased Central Supply Company. United also purchased the Southwestern Coal Corporation properties.	1990 September - Tri-State Division sold its interest in coal leases in Magoffin County, Ky., and related coal supply agreements.

1992 April - United sold Dal-Tex Coal Corporation to Ashland Coal Inc. June - United sold Wellmore #21, Belfry #8 and Belfry #2 to A. T. Massey Coal Company Inc.	1997 August - The United Company sold United Coal Company to A. T. Massey Coal Company Inc.	2002 March - United Oil & Minerals (UOM) acquired South Texas natural gas assets from El Paso Energy. August - UOM changed its name to United Resources; expanded South Texas natural gas production.

2003 April - United Energy sold stock of Star Oil & Gas to Arc Resources, a large publicly- traded Canadian royalty income trust. December - United Resources sold South Texas natural gas assets to Westport Resources Corporation.	2004 July - The United Company bid to acquire all assets of Horizon Natural Resources in Chapter 11 bankruptcy auction. October - United reacquired United Coal Company name and formed “new” United Coal Company, LLC; United Coal bought permitted reserves in Randolph and Upshur counties, W.Va., and renamed them Carter Roag Coal Company. December - United acquired assets of former Golden Oak Coal Company and Cook & Sons Mining in Letcher County, Ky., and renamed operation Sapphire Coal Company.	2005 January - Production began at Pleasant Hill mine at Carter Roag Coal Company. April - United Coal Company hired five executives from Global Energy Management, planned for expansion to five million clean tons of annual production. June - United Coal Company began North Star One, LLC, a highwall mining joint venture in Raleigh County, W. Va. July - Corporate office of United Coal relocated to Charleston, W.Va., area. October - United Coal Company leased 30 million tons of high volatile Sewell coal reserves at Carter Roag from Natural Resource Partners. November - United Coal acquired certain assets of White Mountain Mining, LLC, Beckley, W.Va., including 60+ million tons of low volatile reserves in the Pocahontas coal seams; renamed operation Pocahontas Coal Company, LLC. December - UCC received first “outside” investment from SJ Strategic Investments, LLC, and Gregory Energy Partners, LLC, private equity investment companies founded by Bristol businessmen John and Joe Gregory.

2006 January - UCC acquired The Rapoca Group, Bristol, Va., including 30+ million tons of mid/high volatile Splashdam, Banner & Hagy seam reserves; renamed operation Wellmore Coal Company, LLC.	2009 April - United Coal Company was acquired by Metinvest, an international, vertically integrated mining and steel group of companies. Metinvest Group comprises 23 industrial companies leading the mining and steel industry of Ukraine and the Commonwealth of Independent States.