By Noel Lyn Smith | The Daily Times
FRUITLAND — Local residents say the hogback west of Navajo Mine was placed there by the Holy People to protect the area from the Ute Mountain.
That is according to Norman Benally, spokesman for BHP Billiton New Mexico Coal, which operates the mine. Benally explained the history behind one of the landmarks surrounding the property during a tour of Navajo Mine on Wednesday.
As the Navajo Nation continues mulling over purchasing the mine, mining operations are continuing at the 34,000-acre mine, which is located in the chapter lands of Nenahnezad, San Juan, Tíistoh Sikaad and Upper Fruitland.
Last October, the Navajo Nation started investigating purchasing the mine after it was approached by its parent company, BHP Billiton Energy Coal.
Navajo Mine has existed on the Navajo reservation since the Utah Construction and Mining Co. started strip mining operations to supply coal to units 1, 2 and 3 of the Four Corners Power Plant in 1963.
