GMS Mine Repair and Maintenance's John Mattingly presented on the Belt Badger, designed for safety near rehabilitation and other projects near conveyor belts.

Rox Coal project manager Eugene Krupa centred his talk on rehabilitation and dewatering at one of its southern Pennsylvania operations.

West Virginia University's Dr Vladislav Kecojevic was honoured with the Stephen McCann Memorial Educational Excellence Award, one of several recognitions given at the SME/PCMIA luncheon Thursday.

Consol Energy northern West Virginia operations vice president Charles Shaynak discussed the timeline of events during the Blacksville mine fire earlier this year.

Virginia Tech E Morgan Massey mining and minerals engineering professor Dr Gerald Luttrell offered the luncheon keynote address, presenting coal micro-pricing to students and other attendees.

See more from the conference in Monday's ILN.