Peabody Energy Relocates Office of Chief Operating Officer to Brisbane, Reflecting Expanding Australia Platform

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) today announced the relocation of the Office of the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, headed by Eric Ford, to Brisbane, Australia. This move reflects the significant and growing contributions of the company's Australian operating platform. It comes against the backdrop of the successful acquisition of Macarthur Coal, the leading producer of low-volatile PCI metallurgical coal.

Ford will lead Peabody Energy's global operations from Brisbane and has been named Chairman of the Board of Macarthur Coal. Ford has nearly four decades of extensive international management, operating and engineering experience. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Anglo Coal Australia Pty Ltd.

Reporting to Ford among others is Kemal Williamson, Peabody Energy Group Executive of Project Development. Kemal follows Ford to Brisbane, where he will focus on guiding expansion projects across the Peabody Energy global platform. Most recently, Kemal served as Group Vice President of Operations and led Peabody's U.S. mining operations in the Midwest, Southwest and Colorado. He has more than 25 years of experience in mining engineering and operations.

"The strategic move of the office of our Chief Operating Officer recognizes the large and growing contributions of the Australia platform to our business," said Gregory H. Boyce, Peabody Energy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Peabody's Australian operations and our acquisition of Macarthur Coal provide us a sizable operating base and a significant pipeline of growth opportunities."

Boyce emphasized the strength of Peabody's current project portfolio and growth capabilities. The company continues to invest organically to satisfy rising demand in the world's fastest-growing markets. In Australia, three of the company's six ongoing mine expansion projects are expected to add volumes in the fourth quarter.

The Macarthur acquisition further expands Peabody Energy's global presence, providing access to a large resource base of quality metallurgical product and an extensive growth pipeline serving the world's highest-growth coal markets. With the inclusion of Macarthur, Peabody projects pro forma production of 45 million to 50 million tons by 2014 to 2015. If these pro forma volumes were in place today, Peabody would be the second largest metallurgical coal producer in Australia and in the top tier of global met coal producers.

Peabody is the world's largest private-sector coal company and a global leader in clean coal solutions. With 2010 sales of 246 million tons and nearly $7 billion in revenues, Peabody fuels 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.

CONTACT:
Meg Gallagher
(314) 342-7963

SOURCE Peabody Energy

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