THIS MAP PRODUCED by Luminant shows the location of the Turlington area expansion of Big Brown Mine. Pending receipt of all permit approvals, operations could start late this year at a 10,000-acre expansion of the Luminant Big Brown Mine in Freestone county.

Known as the Turlington Mine Area, the new lignite coal deposit neighbors the existing mine area and will serve Big Brown Steam Electric Station.

Luminant has submitted an application to Railroad Commission of Texas requesting a 5-year surface mining permit, which includes a period of 1-2 years of startup construction activities.

“We are looking forward to sustaining our mining operations in the area through this expansion,” Steve Kopenitz, Luminant senior vice president of mining, says.

“We’re still refining our plans, but we feel confident that we have several more years of successful mining in Freestone county,” he adds.

Big Brown Mine opened almost 40 years ago to provide lignite to fuel electricity generating operations. Over that time, about 20,000 acres have been mined.

Luminant must return mined lands to their previous, or better, condition and has reclaimed 15,000 mined acres in the county.

The company sought expansion of the mine into the Turlington area as lignite reserves started playing out in the original mining area.

The Turlington area is east of Fairfield Lake, approximately 7.5 miles eastnortheast of Fairfield.

In its initial 5-year surface mining permit application, the company intends to mine about 1,000 acres of the 10,000 acres sought in the application.

Luminant has acquired all of the property needed for the first five years of the proposed permit.

Mine development beyond the 5-year period will be determined later.