"Speciality low-ash coal" from Central Appalachia and "niche...

"Speciality low-ash coal" from Central Appalachia and "niche markets" sounds like ultra-low ash used for silicon production. If so there is an acquisiton in August 2011 which may serve as benchmark:
http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2011/08/01/452691/228094/en/Globe-Specialty-Metals-Closes-Acquisition-of-Alden-Resources-a-Leading-Global-Provider-of-Specialty-Metallurgical-Coal-for-the-Silicon-Metal-and-Silicon-Based-Alloy-Industries-in-a.html

A producing speciality coal mine including equipment for some $30m must be a pretty small deposit. From my understanding "open-cut coal mining" is not mountaintop mining despite both are ways of surface mining, so I hope there are no relevant regulatory risks at least.