The Faces of Coal
Hazard, Kentucky is home to one of the top 10 multi-mine producing facilities in the country. Perry County Coal employs approximately 420 underground miners to work in its three mines. The men and women miners spend their working hours away from the sun, underground in a 60 degree, fast paced environment lit by their headlamps. Each person from the machine operators to the cleanup crew know that what they do helps power the country.
Photographed on assignment for National Geographic Magazine
Miners at Perry County Coal prepare to go underground in the E4-2 mine. The first shift miners drop at 6:00am and normally don't return to the surface until 4:00pm.
Jason Moore puts a hat on his daughter, Chelsea, to keep her warm as they head out one evening to look for elk. Spending time with their families is important to many miners because they work long hours during the week.
James D. Beverly changes boots after coming up from his shift in the E4-2 mine. Most miners prefer only to change their boots and shirts in the locker room before heading home to shower.
Jason Moore explores a park looking for elk after his shift. The park is reclaimed land from a mountain top removal site.
Rocky Moore hugs his son after he hit his head on the table in their kitchen. Moore is on one of the 2 mine-rescue teams at Perry County Coal and is on the safety crew at the E3-1 mine.
Center, Jerry Lewis and Jason Mitchell pray with the other first shift miners at the E4-2 mine before going underground. Though many are religious, the miners usually only pray together as a group during meetings with the foreman.
Left to right, first shift miners Jeff Cole, Robin Collett, Billy Farmer and L.D. Sexton sit in the hoist car at the E4-2 mine just before going underground. The car takes about 4 minutes to be lowered to the bottom of the 805-foot-long slope.
Rocky Moore stands in the air intake shaft underground in the E3-1 mine. The air is pulled through the mine and across the face for ventilation to keep the coal dust down and natural gases dispersed.
A miner works a bridge carrier in 003 section of the E4-2 mine. The continuous miner is attached to the main belt line which runs the coal directly outside.
While the miners are underground and before the day starts in downtown Hazard, the sound of the belt lines carrying coal from the face of the mine to the preparation plant is one of the only noises heard.
Miners at Perry County Coal wait for the hoist car to go down in the E4-1 mine.
Left to right, first shift miners Shane Napier, Paul Hughes, Jason Moore, Arther Wells and Rick Thomas catch up while taking a break underground in the E3-1 mine. The roof in all of the mines is tall enough in many areas for the miners to fully stand up.
While out 4-wheeling, Rocky Moore lifts up his daughter Macie so she can take a picture of eggs in a bird’s nest. 4-wheeling is a way for the family to spend time together and explore the hills around their house.
Raccoon hunting into the late hours of the night is another way for miners to spend time with their children after they get off work.
The coal is taken out of the area by train and is delivered all over the world. The trains from around the area pass through Hazard everyday.