The 20th Biennial Bluefield Coal Show was held this week at the Brushfork Armory in Bluefield. The event featured the latest in mining technology, but this year it also included presentations by state and national coal leaders as the industry faces some of its most difficult challenges ever.
Featured among the speakers was West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney, who spoke about “pushing forward” through these difficult times. Raney said that despite the current problems he sees a bright future for the mining industry, both here in West Virginia and around the nation as the nation returns to its most dependable and affordable energy resource.
Also included on the speakers roster this year were: John Pippy of the Pennsylvania Coal Alliance; Bill Bissett, president of the Kentucky Coal Association and Thornton Newton, legislative counsel to the Virginia Coal Association.
There were booths by the Friends of Coal Ladies Auxiliary and a large number of our Associate members as well as the National Mining Association. The 240 exhibitors came from 30 states as well as the UK, Canada and Germany.
You can read more about the Coal Show at the Bluefield Daily Telegraph online at http://bdtonline.com/