Clean coal is required for making steel. Raw coal can be burned to produce electricity. Ben Creek runs clear and cold behind it. As each rail hopper car is pushed under the load-out, sensors read the car's serial number and capacity. It takes just two workers to operate the load-out.
Coal rushes in like water.
With tiny adjustments of the joystick, the arm is shifted to load the hopper thoroughly. Loading one car takes about two minutes. Now, after a few hundred millions years underground, the coal is about to embark on a breathtaking trek from the mountains to the ocean.