Founded in 1943 by Emil Usibelli, UCM is located within the Alaska Range near the town of Healy, has a work force of about 125 employees and operates year-round.

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Emil Usibelli at UCM in the late 1950s - early 1960s.
Thorella Usibelli collection

     At age 50, Emil Usibelli began operations with a used dozer, a used logging truck and a one-year contract to supply 10,000 tons of coal to the U.S. Army's Ladd Airfield in Fairbanks. In 1964, Emil Usibelli was killed in a mining accident and his 25 year-old son Joe returned from graduate school to take over the operation. In 1971, UCM purchased the neighboring Vitro Mine and became the sole producing coal mine in Alaska. In 1987, Joe Usibelli retired after 23 years as chief operating officer, and Joe Usibelli Jr. became the company's president. Under Joe Jr., UCM began to examine technologies that would enhance the quality of its coal and serve to develop new markets.

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Emil Usibelli and son Joe sit atop Emil's TD-40 dozer in Suntrana, probably about 1943 or shortly before.

     Over its 53 years of operation, mine production has grown from 10,000 tons to over 1.6 million tons of coal per year supported by the most modern mining equipment and state-of-the-art engineering. Today, UCM supplies six Interior Alaska power plants about 750,000 tons of coal while an additional 750,000 tons are shipped through the Port of Seward to the republic of Korea. Since beginning in 1985, nearly 10 million tons of Usibelli coal have been exported to Korea.

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     In 1989, UCM was instrumental in initiating the Healy Clean Coal Project (HCCP) which will demonstrate an innovative coal combustion and emission technology that when proven, can be used to retrofit coal plants around the world. The U.S. Department of Energy selected the project for matching funds under the federal Clean Coal Technology program. The 50-megawatt plant, which began construction in May 1995, began its one-year test period in January 1998.

Rediscovering our History: project in work

     Usibelli Coal Mine has a rich and proud history that speaks to the exceptional people who work and reside there today. In 1994, UCM began a project to collect oral histories and memorabilia from people who lived and worked at the mine and in nearby communities during the 1940s and 1950s. The wonderful material that has been collected reflects the quality of people who ventured to the interior of Alaska.

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UCM man haul-- formerly Suntrana Mining Co. Doodlebug, 1950s.
UCM collection

     For those who have had the privilege of working on the project-- Eric Makus, Robert Usibelli and Susanne Usibelli-- it has been a pleasure meeting these pioneers and their families. Their experiences are colorful and educational, and it has been an honor to spend the time listening to stories and going over precious photos and clippings. To be able to catch a glimpse of what it was like to scratch out a living in the then very remote frontier, has provided a unique and valuable insight into who we are. We are very grateful for the opportunity to "re-live" and record this vital part of our proud history.

     If you have information that pertains to the project, please contact Becki Gray at (907) 452-2625 or info@usibelli.com.

     The photographs and quotations on this page are just a sample of the material we have collected. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed collecting it.

Chronology

1935

Emil Usibelli comes to Alaska to work in the Matanuska coal field at the Evans Jones Coal Mine.

1938

Emil Usibelli starts a logging operation in Suntrana to supply timbers for the underground mines.

1940

The Suntrana and Evans Jones mines are producing virtually all the coal being mined in Alaska.

1943

Emil Usibelli, and partner T.E. Sandford, obtain a U.S. Army mining license and open a surface coal mine east of Suntrana. The company contracts with the Army to supply newly constructed Ladd Field (now Fort Wainwright) with coal.

1948

Emil Usibelli purchases his partner's share and the present Usibelli Coal Mine (UCM) is incorporated in the Territory of Alaska.

1950

Usibelli Camp is built about 2.5 miles east of Suntrana adjacent to UCM's mining operations.

1951

UCM begins building houses for year-round, married employees.

1953

A two-story bunkhouse is built at Usibelli Camp to house seasonal employees.

1954

A coal washing plant is built to remove rock found in coal from No. 2 seam. The Usibelli Coal Sales Corporation is formed with offices located on Phillips Field Road to sell coal to retail customers in Fairbanks.

1956

The Rosalie Adit is opened to supplement production from UCM's surface operations with coal from underground.

1961

UCM purchases the Suntrana Mining Company.

1962

UCM closes underground mining operations at Suntrana.

1964

Emil Usibelli is killed in a mining accident and his 25 year-old son Joe takes over as president.

1967

GVEA completes construction of a 25 megawatt mine-mouth power plant in Healy.

1970

UCM purchases the Vitro Minerals Mine and becomes the only remaining commercial coal mine operating in Alaska.

1971

Usibelli Coal Mine begins its land reclamation program and forms a subsidiary company, Nuera Reclamation.

1972

The Parks Highway is completed, linking Healy by road to Anchorage and Fairbanks.

1977

UCM purchases a Bucyrus-Erie 1300W dragline with a 33 cubic yard bucket which is delivered in parts to Healy in December.

1978

UCM leases land from the Alaska Railroad and develops the Tri-Valley subdivision to provide modern housing for mine employees.
     In November, assembly of the Ace-in-the-Hole dragline is completed.

1981

Construction is completed on UCM's new train loading coal tipple on the west side of the Nenana River.

1982

The new tipple begins operation and a load stabilizer system to level out power surges from the dragline begins operation.
     UCM establishes a regulatory compliance department to deal with the increasingly complex and numerous permitting requirements, laws and regulations.

1983

UCM's new office/shop complex is completed on the east bank of the Nenana River at the mouth of Hoseanna Creek.
     UCM purchases seven new 75 ton capacity WABCO trucks.

1984

In July, UCM signs a fifteen year contract with the Suneel Shipping Company for the export of coal to the Korea Electric Power Corporation for fueling a converted oil-fired electric power generation plant in Honam, Korea. Construction of the Seward Coal Terminal is completed.

1985

In January, the first shipment of UCM coal leaves the Port of Seward for Korea. To satisfy increased production for the Korea coal export contract, UCM's work force is increased by about 40% with the addition of 36 employees.

1986

UCM establishes a marketing office in Fairbanks.

1987

Two shipments of coal are exported to Taiwan for testing by the Taiwan Power Corporation and a second shipment is sent to Japan for testing by the Electric Power Development Corporation.
     Joe Usibelli, Jr. succeeds his father as president of UCM.

1988

UCM begins to replace its 75 ton capacity WABCO trucks with Dresser 325M HaulPak trucks with 95 ton capacities.
     UCM purchases a D11N Caterpillar, the largest dozer manufactured in the world and the first to be sold in the U.S. west of the Mississippi.

1989

The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, Golden Valley Electric Association, UCM and engineering and technology companies, submit an application to the Department of Energy (DOE) for funding of a 50 megawatt power plant at Healy under the federal Clean Coal Technology program. In December, the DOE selects the Healy Clean Coal Project for federal funding. UCM sets a monthly coal sales record of 207,540 tons.

1991

In April, the U.S. Congress approves the Healy Clean Coal Project.
     In June, UCM sets a fiscal-year production record of over 1.6 million tons.
     In November, cumulative coal shipments to Korea pass the 5 million (short) ton mark.

1993

UCM celebrates its 50th anniversary.

1995

In May, construction began on the Healy Clean Coal Project 50 megawatt power plant adjacent to GVEA's existing 25 megawatt power plant.

1995

UCM shipped a record 1.67 million tons of coal to its customers, up from a previous production high of nearly 1.6 million tons in 1993.

1996

In April, construction was completed on a new truck loading facility.

1997

In June, UCM finalized the purchase of the 8,000 acre Wishbone Hill coal mine located 40 miles northeast of Anchorage near the community of Sutton.
     In August, UCM acquired the largest hydraulic shovel in the state of Alaska. The O & K RH-170 shovel weighs 793,000 pounds and has a 26 cubic yards bucket.

1998

In January, the 50-megawatt Healy Clean Coal Plant began operations.