Patriot Coal Corporation (Patriot) is a producer of thermal coal in the eastern United States, with operations and coal reserves in the Appalachia and the Illinois Basin coal regions. The Company operates in two segments: Appalachia Mining Operations and Illinois Basin Mining Operations. Patriot is also a United States producer of metallurgical quality coal. Its principal business is the mining and preparation of thermal coal or steam coal, for sale primarily to electricity generators, and metallurgical coal, for sale to steel mills and independent coke producers. As of December 31, 2011, its operations consisted of 14 active mining complexes, which include mines, contractor-operated mines and coal preparation facilities. In July 2012, the Company and substantially all of its wholly owned subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.