Professional Miner Spotlight:
LC Richards Recognized as 10,000th Professional Miner

San Antonio, TX, March 22, 2005
After 44 years of working safely as a dragline operator at Alcoa Sandow surface coal mine in Rockdale, Texas, LC Richards has chosen to retire, but his outstanding safety record will continue to inspire his fellow miners. His application arrived in time to become the 10,000th accepted for Professional Miner status. His accomplishments and this milestone for the nation's miners were applauded at the March 22nd opening session of the 23rd Joint Mine Safety and Health Conference in San Antonio, TX.

His award was presented by John R. Correll, Deputy Assistant Secretary-Operations of MSHA. Mr. Correll pointed out that the South Central District currently has recognized 2.438 professional miners and of those the state of Texas is number 2 in the nation with 1,010 recognitions. Currently Kentucky is in first place with 1,146 professional miner recognitions.