Peabody’s President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Grech has been named Chair of the National Coal Council in a White House ceremony on January 15, 2026. Grech, who has led Peabody since 2021 and brings over 35 years of industry experience, succeeds the prior council leadership and will work directly with Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Vice Chair Jimmy Brock. His appointment coincides with a 13 percent rise in U.S. coal-fueled generation in 2025, driven by extended plant lifespans, cost advantages and surging electricity demand from AI and data centers. Global coal demand hit a record 8.8 billion tonnes last year, according to the IEA, underscoring the strategic importance of coal to U.S. energy security. Peabody’s flagship North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, which produces roughly 12 percent of U.S. coal, underscores the company’s capacity to meet growing demand while exploring opportunities in rare earth elements and critical minerals.

BTU Metals Corp. finalized preliminary geophysical surveys across its Ontario portfolio in 2025, including the newly acquired Dixie East project in Red Lake and the Hubcap property near Wawa. The company plans to commence a 2,500-metre reverse-circulation drilling program this spring at Dixie East, targeting a 1.2-kilometre magnetic trend identified in late-year surveys. At Hubcap, environmental baseline studies are complete in preparation for up to 1,800 metres of core drilling to test high-grade gold showings. In parallel, Kinross Gold Corp. will drill the optioned Dixie Halo project—adjacent to Great Bear’s world-class deposit—under a joint venture agreement that grants BTU a 25 percent carry. These campaigns follow a year in which BTU expanded its land position by 15 percent and upgraded camp infrastructure to support a three-rig operation in 2026.