Elected to two-year terms were Cumberland Resources chief financial officer Ed Bolton, Natural Resource Partners president Nick Carter, Penn-Ohio Coal president Keith Kimble and Sunrise Coal director Victor Stabio.

Also welcomed to the NMA board for two-year terms were Sandvik Mining and Construction USA and Canada region president Dan Allan, Interwest Mining and Fuel Resources vice-president Cindy Crane, BHP Billiton New Mexico Coal president Glenn Kellow and Komatsu America product manager Richard Smith.

"NMA continues to be committed to raising the bar on the industry’s safety and environmental performance and working to ensure the regulatory certainty we need to ensure its long-term viability,” NMA group president and chief executive Hal Quinn said.

"The strength and value of any organization is measured by the active participation of its members. [T]he new members … join other industry leaders who are committed to supplying energy and minerals to rebuild our economy and providing good-paying jobs across America."

Last September, the NMA elected Rio Tinto mineral president and chief executive Gary Goldberg as the board’s chairman and Peabody chairman Greg Boyce as vice-chairman, both for two-year terms.

At the same time Francis McAllister, who is chairman and chief executive officer of Stillwater Mining Company, began a term as the group’s finance and audit committee head.

Quinn was re-elected president and chief executive, while group vice-president for finance and administration Roger Roberts was elected treasurer. NMA vice-president of health and safety Bruce Watzman became the board’s new secretary while Katie Sweeney, the associate general counsel, was elected secretary.