The company said Thursday that its Rivers Edge operation, part of the Wells complex in southern West Virginia, received the award recently during the group’s annual State Council Meeting in Roanoke.

Other Patriot entities receiving an award were the Rocklick reclamation crew and the team from the Rocklick Matewan tunnel operation.

"For two of these units, the Rivers Edge Mine and the Rocklick Matewan Tunnel operation, this is the second consecutive year to have earned this award," senior vice-president and chief operating officer Charles Ebetino Jr said.

"I commend our employees at these operations for keeping safety at the forefront of everything they do."

Holmes Safety awards are given out annually by the Joseph A Holmes Safety Association to mines that meet specific criteria and show a commitment to and record of safety excellence.

In February, the operation received another important safety honor, the Mountaineer Guardian Safety Award, from the West Virginia Coal Association.

It was the second consecutive time it had been bestowed the honor.

Patriot Coal operated a total of 14 mining complexes in Appalachia and the Illinois Basin. Its proven and probable reserves total about 1.8 billion tons.