New mine should bring more than100 jobs

GREENE COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - The mine developer asked Greene County Council members Monday for a designation that would help them get a property tax abatement at a future meeting.

It's been a two-year development process for project developer and Lily Group Inc. founder Rick Risinger. He hopes to have an underground mine about 150 feet deep covering 3,000 acres, with an estimated potential of 15 million recoverable tons of coal.

The mine's location is to mostly be in Greene County, east and south of Jasonville. However, a couple hundred acres will extend west into Sullivan County.

"We plan to be in the area 20 to 25 years," said Risinger. "So we hope as an economic impact to Jasonville and Greene County it should be a huge impact."

The mine is expected to employ more than 100 employees when it's fully operational. More than 50 percent will come from Greene County. But Greene County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Joan Bethell estimates the ripple effect into service and retail sales sectors will match that.

"The overall increased activity might provide a catalyst for downtown revitalization and development in the local community in and around the mine," said Bethell. Communities, she said, which includes Jasonville, Linton, Dugger and Coalmont.

Risinger hopes to have the final permit from the state by the end of the year. Then shortly after New Year's, they would start digging the 1,100 foot main tunnel with an estimated price tag of $10 million to 20 million. He hopes to start production by mid-summer.