Exhibit 12.1

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preference Dividends

	Year Ended December 31
	2009			2008			2007			2006			2005
	(Dollars in thousands, except ratios)
Earnings:
Pretax income excluding income or loss from equity investments	$	23,020		$	395,977		$	157,224		$	265,688		$	7,509
Adjustments:
Fixed charges		118,075			99,562			103,251			87,402			85,044
Distributed income from equity investments		5,164			2,167			1,672			—			—
Capitalized interest, net of amortization		3,143			(8,351	)		(16,849	)		(14,578	)		(4,248	)
Arch Western Resources, LLC dividends on preferred membership interest		(58	)		(107	)		(85	)		(99	)		(96	)
Total earnings	$	149,344		$	489,248		$	245,213		$	338,416		$	88,209
Fixed charges:
Interest expense	$	105,932		$	76,139		$	74,865		$	64,364		$	72,409
Capitalized interest		824			11,703			17,967			14,807			4,248
Arch Western Resources LLC dividends on preferred membership interest		58			107			85			99			96
Portions of rent which represent an interest factor		11,261			11,613			10,334			8,135			8,291
Total fixed charges		118,075			99,562			103,251			87,405			85,044
Preferred dividends		—			12			219			378			15,579
Total fixed charges and preferred dividends	$	118,075		$	99,574		$	103,470		$	87,783		$	100,623
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges		1.26	x		4.91	x		2.37	x		3.86	x			(a)

(a) Combined fixed charges and preference dividends exceeded earnings by $12.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2005.