LEXINGTON, Ky., June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhino Resource Partners LP (NYSE: RNO) ("Rhino" or the "Partnership") is pleased to announce the acquisition of approximately 32,600 acres of metallurgical grade coal resources and associated surface rights in Randolph and Upshur Counties, West Virginia. These properties were acquired at a total acquisition cost of approximately $7,500,000. These development stage properties are unpermitted and contain no infrastructure. Rhino intends to fully explore these resources with the hope of proving up a mineable underground metallurgical coal reserve and eventually commencing production.
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David G. Zatezalo, President & CEO of Rhino GP LLC, the General Partner of Rhino , commented, "We are very excited about this acquisition and in fully exploring the property. We believe it gives us exposure to a potentially significant amount of metallurgical coal resources at a very reasonable cost. We hope to be mining in this geographic area on a long-term basis."
About Rhino Resource Partners LP
Rhino is a growth-oriented limited partnership formed to control and operate steam and metallurgical coal properties and related assets in Central Appalachia, Northern Appalachia, the Illinois Basin and the Western Bituminous region. In addition, the Company intends to expand its operations through strategic acquisitions, including the acquisition of stable, cash generating non-coal natural resource assets to enable Rhino to increase its cash distributions over time.
About Wexford Capital LP
Rhino's general partner, Rhino GP LLC, is an affiliate of Wexford Capital LP. Wexford Capital is an SEC registered investment advisor with over $7 billion of assets under management. Formed in 1994, Wexford manages a series of private equity and hedge funds. Wexford prides itself on its independent thinking and opportunistic investment style and has particular expertise in the energy / natural resources sector with investments in coal, oil and gas exploration and production assets, energy services, and related sectors.
Additional information regarding Rhino and Wexford is available on their respective web sites - RhinoLP.com and Wexford.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for historical information, statements made in this press release are "forward-looking statements." All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Rhino expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Rhino's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on Rhino's business, operating results, financial condition and similar matters. While management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting Rhino will be those that Rhino anticipates. Whether actual results and developments in the future will conform to expectations is subject to significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond Rhino's control or ability to predict. Therefore, actual results and developments could materially differ from Rhino's historical experience and present expectations and what is expressed, implied or forecast in these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: decline in coal prices, which depend upon several factors such as the supply of domestic and foreign coal, the demand for domestic and foreign coal, governmental regulations, price and availability of alternative fuels for electricity generation and prevailing economic conditions; increased competition in global coal markets and declines in demand for coal; current and future environmental laws and regulations which could materially increase operating costs or limit Rhino's ability to produce and sell coal; extensive government regulation of mine operations, especially with respect to mine safety and health, which imposes significant actual and potential costs; difficulties in obtaining and/or renewing permits necessary for operations; a variety of operating risks, such as unfavorable geologic conditions, natural disasters, mining and processing equipment unavailability and failures and unexpected maintenance problems and accidents, including fire and explosions from methane; fluctuations in transportation costs or disruptions in transportation services could increase competition or impair Rhino's ability to supply coal; a shortage of skilled labor; increases in raw material costs, such as steel, diesel fuel and explosives; rhino's ability to acquire replacement coal reserves that are economically recoverable; inaccuracies in Rhino's estimates of coal reserves and non-reserve coal deposits; existing and future laws and regulations regulating the emission of sulfur dioxide and other compounds could affect coal consumers and as a result reduce demand for coal; federal and state laws restricting the emissions of greenhouse gases; Rhino's ability to acquire or failure to maintain, obtain or renew surety bonds used to secure obligations to reclaim mined property; Rhino's dependence on a few customers and its ability to find and retain customers under favorable supply contracts; changes in consumption patterns by utilities away from the use of coal, such as resulting from low natural gas prices; disruption in supplies of coal produced by contractors operating Rhino's mines; defects in title in properties that Rhino owns or losses of any of Rhino's leasehold interests; increased labor costs or work stoppages; the ability to retain and attract senior management and other key personnel; and assumptions underlying reclamation and mine closure obligations are materially inaccurate.
Other factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results are described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Rhino undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE Rhino Resource Partners LP
