ICG Acquires Mining Equipment Patent Rights

SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. (AP) — Mine operator International Coal Group says it's purchased patent rights that allow sales of its line of surface mining equipment overseas.

The Scott Depot-based company says in a regulatory filing Tuesday that its ICG ADDCAR Systems subsidiary acquired the rights from Addington International for an undisclosed sum.

ICG says the deal gives ADDCAR access to South America, Africa, Europe and most of Asia. ICG says that includes key coal producing countries of China, Russia and South Africa.

Ashland, Ky.-based Addcar sells three models of highwall mining equipment, which extract coal by drilling into seams from the side, rather than by using strip mining or underground tunnels.

ICG operates in West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia and Illinois.