Alliance Resource Partners LP is a natural resource company, which produces and markets coal to domestic utilities, industrial users and international customers. It operates through the following segments: Illinois Basin Coal Operations, Appalachia Coal Operations, Oil & Gas Royalties, and Coal Royalties. The Illinois Basin Coal Operations segment includes the Gibson mining complex, the Warrior mining complex, the River View mining complex and the Hamilton mining complex. The Appalachia Coal Operations segment includes the Mettiki mining complex, the Tunnel Ridge mining complex and the MC Mining complex. The Oil & Gas Royalties reportable segment includes oil & gas mineral interests. The Coal Royalties reportable segment includes substantially all coal mineral resources and the majority of coal mineral reserves owned or leased by Alliance Resource Properties. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Tulsa, OK.

Peabody Energy Corp. engages in the business of coal mining. It operates through the following business segments: Seaborne Thermal, Seaborne Metallurgical, Powder River Basin, Other U.S. Thermal, and Corporate and Other. The Seaborne Thermal segment consist of mines in New South Wales, Australia. The Seaborne Metallurgical segment includes mines in Queensland, Australia, one in New South Wales, Australia and one in Alabama, USA. The Powder River Basin segment focuses on mines in Wyoming. The Other U.S. Thermal segment reflects on the mining, preparation and sale of thermal coal, sold primarily to electric utilities in the U.S. under long-term contracts, with a relatively small portion sold as international exports as conditions warrant. The Corporate and Other segment involves administrative expenses, results from equity method investments, trading and brokerage activities, minimum charges on certain transportation-related contracts, the closure of inactive mining sites, the impact of foreign currency remeasurement and certain commercial matters. The company was founded by Francis S. Peabody in 1883 and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO.

Natural Resource Partners LP engages in the business of owning, managing, and leasing a diversified portfolio of mineral properties. It operates through the Coal Royalty and Other, and Soda Ash segments. The Coal Royalty and Other segment consists of coal royalty properties and coal-related transportation and processing assets. The Soda Ash segment consists of a non-controlling equity interest in a trona ore mining operation and soda ash refinery in the Green River Basin, Wyoming. The company was founded in April 2002 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.