Related Party Transactions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions

19. Related Party Transactions

        Related party activity consists primarily of coal sales to our equity method investment, Venture Fuels Partnership. For purposes of classifying related party transactions, we consider all agreements entered into with Rio Tinto prior to the Secondary Offering as related party transactions. These include the delivery of coal under arms-length commercial arrangements in the ordinary course of business and engaging Rio Tinto for agency services in connection with our export coal sales. As of November 2011, all material sales and support service agreements entered into with Rio Tinto prior to the Secondary Offering have been terminated.

        The following table summarizes related party transactions for the years ended December 31 (in thousands):

	2012		2011		2010
Sales of coal to Venture Fuels Partnership	$	22,069	$	20,461	$	27,674
Transactions with Rio Tinto:
Transitional support services Rent expense paid to Rio Tinto	$	—	$	—	$	245
Other commercial transactions
Agency services fees paid to Rio Tinto	$	—	$	712	$	245
Revenue from export sales agreements with Rio Tinto	$	—	$	16,203	$	8,569