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American Power Corp. (OTC.BB:TGMP) will proceed to kick start the development of its advanced Pace Coal Project in Judith Basin County, Montana.
In April 2010, American Power Corp. acquired roughly 29,000 acres, which make up the Pace Coal Project. In 1979 Mobil Oil Co. (now ExxonMobil) drilled 30 holes over 14,000 of the project’s acreage, and delivered 45 samples which were later sent to an independent laboratory for analysis. It was subsequently determined that both the quality and the quantity of coal on the Pace acreage was high and significant, respectively. Several independent reports were commissioned based on the development work undertaken by Mobil Oil, determining there could be in excess of 410 million tons of high volatility bituminous coal potential on the Pace acreage. Al Valencia, CEO of American Power Corp. commented: “A tremendous amount of work has already been undertaken on the Pace Coal Project and we continue to work towards our stated goal of proving up a mineable reserve and preparing a mine plan to re-establish coal production on the property as soon as possible.” Montana’s demonstrated reserve base of 119.1 billion short tons of coal represents over 24% of America’s total demonstrated coal reserve base of 487.7 billion short tons. Of particular importance, the coal at the Pace Coal Project is bituminous B coal, which, due to its higher BTU rating, secures a higher market price than most of Montana’s coal (typically sub-bituminous or lignite). American Power Corp. has access to a large and experienced workforce in Great Falls, Montana, and the coal project may provide hundreds, if not thousands, of new, high-paying jobs for the local economy (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual wage in the mining industry in Montana was $70,779 in 2008, or 122 percent higher than the average wage in the state). Substantial infrastructure is already in place adjacent to and within the acreage, including a federal highway, a BNSF railway line, pipeline, and power lines, all of which would facilitate the economic extraction and transportation of coal to market. |
