Ramaco Resources (METC) S-1/AIPO registration (amended)

Exhibit 1.1

RAMACO RESOURCES, INC.

[●]% Senior Notes due 2026

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

[●], 2021

B. Riley Securities, Inc.

As Representative of the Several Underwriters

c/o B. Riley Securities, Inc.

299 Park Avenue, 21^st Floor

New York, NY 10171

Ladies and Gentlemen:

1.            Introductory. Ramaco Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”) proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom B. Riley Securities, Inc. is acting as representative (the “Representative”), $25,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its [●]% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Firm Securities”), to be issued pursuant to the provisions of an Indenture dated as of [●] [●], 2021 (the “Base Indenture”) between the Company and [Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB], as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of the Closing Date between the Company and the Trustee (the “First Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional $3,750,000 aggregate principal amount of its [●]% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Optional Securities”), if and to the extent that the Representative shall have elected to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase Optional Securities pursuant to the option granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Securities.”

This Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”) confirms the agreement among the Company and the Underwriters concerning the purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters.

2.            Representations and Warranties of the Company. (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:

(i)            Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Certain Defined Terms. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-257166) covering the registration of the Securities under the Act, including a related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses. At any particular time, this initial registration statement, in the form then on file with the Commission, including all information contained in the registration statement (if any) pursuant to Rule 462(b) and then deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement, and all 430A Information and all 430C Information, that in any case has not then been superseded or modified, shall be referred to as the “Initial Registration Statement.” The Company may also have filed, or may file with the Commission, a Rule 462(b) registration statement covering the registration of the Securities. At any particular time, this Rule 462(b) registration statement, in the form then on file with the Commission, including the contents of the Initial Registration Statement incorporated by reference therein and including all 430A Information and all 430C Information, that in any case has not then been superseded or modified, shall be referred to as the “Additional Registration Statement.”

As of the time of execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Initial Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Act and is not proposed to be amended. Any Additional Registration Statement has or will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) and is not proposed to be amended. The Securities all have been or will be duly registered under the Act pursuant to the Initial Registration Statement and, if applicable, the Additional Registration Statement.

For purposes of this Agreement:

“430A Information,” with respect to any registration statement, means information included in a prospectus and retroactively deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b).

“430C Information,” with respect to any registration statement, means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430C.

“Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“Applicable Time” means [●] P.M. (Eastern Time) on the date of this Agreement.

“Closing Date” has the meaning defined in Section 3 hereof.

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Effective Time” with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or, if filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Additional Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission or has become effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(c). If an Additional Registration Statement has not been filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement but the Company has advised the Representative that it proposes to file one, “Effective Time” with respect to such Additional Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement is filed and becomes effective pursuant to Rule 462(b).

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Final Prospectus” means the Statutory Prospectus that discloses the public offering price, including any document incorporated by reference therein, other 430A Information and other final terms of the Securities and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Act.

“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being so specified in Schedule B to this Agreement.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Securities in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

The Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration Statement are referred to collectively as the “Registration Statements” and individually as a “Registration Statement.” A “Registration Statement” with reference to a particular time means the Initial Registration Statement and any Additional Registration Statement as of such time. A “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such Registration Statement as of its Effective Time. For purposes of the foregoing definitions, 430A Information with respect to a Registration Statement shall be considered to be included in such Registration Statement as of the time specified in Rule 430A.

“Rules and Regulations” means the rules and regulations of the Commission.

“Securities Laws” means, collectively, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”), the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in Sarbanes-Oxley) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and, as applicable, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ Stock Market (“Exchange Rules”).

“Statutory Prospectus” with reference to a particular time means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and all 430A Information or 430C Information with respect to such Registration Statement. For purposes of the foregoing definition, 430A Information shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule 462(c) and not retroactively.

“Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act.

“Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.

Unless otherwise specified, a reference to a “rule” is to the indicated rule under the Act.

(ii)            Compliance with Securities Act Requirements. (i) (A) At their respective Effective Times, (B) on the date of this Agreement and (C) on each Closing Date, each of the Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration Statement (if any) conformed and will conform in all respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (ii) on its date, at the time of filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (if no such filing is required) at the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement in which the Final Prospectus is included, and on each Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will conform in all respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(iii)            Compliance with Exchange Act Requirements. Each document, if any, filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, when they each became effective or at the time they were each filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations.

(iv)            Ineligible Issuer Status. (i) At the time of the initial filing of the Initial Registration Statement and (ii) at the date of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any subsidiary of the Company in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Securities, all as described in Rule 405.

(v)            Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial submission of the Initial Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(vi)            General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, none of (i) the General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the preliminary prospectus, dated [●] 2021, (which is the most recent Statutory Prospectus distributed to investors generally) and the other information, if any, stated in Schedule B to this Agreement to be included in the General Disclosure Package, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, or (iii) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.

(vii)            Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (i) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representative and (ii) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(viii)            Testing-the-Waters Communication. The Company (a) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and (b) has not authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communication. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication.

(ix)            Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).

(x)            Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification except those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects.

(xi)            Authority. The Company has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; the Company has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver the Securities and to perform its obligations thereunder and under the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture (this Agreement, the Securities, the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture are each referred to herein individually as a “Debt Document” and collectively as the “Debt Documents”). On the Closing Date, all actions required to be taken by the Company for (i) the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of the Securities and this Agreement and (ii) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Debt Documents shall have been validly taken.

(xii)            Indenture. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and has been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and as of the Closing Date, the Indenture (i) will comply as to form with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act, (ii) will be executed and delivered by the Company and (iii) assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Trustee, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) (the “Enforceability Exceptions”); and provided further, that the indemnity, contribution and exoneration provisions contained in any of such agreements may be limited by applicable laws.

(xiii)            Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, and will conform to the information in the General Disclosure Package and to the description of the Securities contained in the Final Prospectus.

(xiv)            No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

(xv)            Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act.

(xvi)            Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the sale of the Securities, except (i) such as have been obtained, or (ii) such as have been made or as may be required under state or foreign securities or “Blue Sky” laws or by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

(xvii)            Title to Property. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, or except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would affect the value thereof or interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries will hold any leased real property under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them.

(xviii)            Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale of the Securities will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) any of their properties, or any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xix)          Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject.

(xx)           Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xxi)          Possession of Licenses and Permits. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits (collectively, “Licenses”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted by them and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxii)         Absence of Labor Dispute. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxiii)        Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, and have not received any notice of infringement of, or conflict with, asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxiv)            Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (a) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is or during the past five (5) years has been in violation of any federal, state or local statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order, decree, decision, ordinance, code or other legally binding requirement (including common law) relating to the pollution, protection or restoration of the environment, wildlife or natural resources; human health or safety; or the generation, use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, discharge, disposal or release of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Substance (as defined below) (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) is conducting or funding, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, monitoring or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law, including to address any actual or suspected Hazardous Substance, (iii) has received notice of, or is subject to any action, suit, claim or proceeding alleging, any actual or potential liability under, or violation of, any Environmental Law, including with respect to any Hazardous Substance, except for notices of violation which have been abated and are not outstanding, (iv) is party to any order, decree or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law, or (v) is or during the past five (5) years has been in violation of, or has failed to obtain and maintain, any permit, license, authorization, identification number or other approval required under applicable Environmental Laws; (b) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in any violation of or liability under any Environmental Law, including with respect to any Hazardous Substance, except in the case of clause (a) and (b) above, for such matters as would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is subject to any pending proceeding pursuant to any Environmental Law in which any foreign, federal, state or local governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $300,000 or more will be imposed, nor does the Company or any of its subsidiaries know any such proceeding is contemplated, (ii) is aware of any material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries resulting from compliance with Environmental Laws, or (iii) anticipates any material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws. For purposes of this subsection, “Hazardous Substance” means (A) any pollutant, contaminant, petroleum and petroleum products, by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls or toxic mold, and (B) any other toxic, radioactive, ignitable, corrosive, reactive or otherwise hazardous chemical, material, waste or substance. In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties); on the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(xxv)            ERISA. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the minimum funding standard under Section 302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”), has been satisfied by each “pension plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) which has been established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under Section 515 of ERISA; (iii) each pension plan and welfare plan established or maintained by the Company and/or its subsidiaries is in compliance with the currently applicable provisions of ERISA; and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred or could reasonably be expected to incur any withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA, any liability under Section 4062, 4063, or 4064 of ERISA, or any other liability under Title IV of ERISA.

(xxvi)            Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Description of Notes” and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.

(xxvii)        Accurate Reserve Information. All information related to the coal reserves of the Company and its subsidiaries included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, (i) was and is accurate in all material respects, (ii) complies in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable, and (iii) when read together with the other information in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, as applicable, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(xxviii)       Absence of Manipulation. The Company and its affiliates have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(xxix)          Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in a Registration Statement, a Statutory Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication is based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

(xxx)           Absence of FINRA Affiliation. To the knowledge of the Company, there are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and the Company, any of the Company’s officers or directors or the Company’s 10% or greater stockholders.

(xxxi)          Internal Controls and Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company, its subsidiaries and the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) are in compliance with all applicable provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley and all applicable Exchange Rules. The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting, an internal audit function and legal and regulatory compliance controls (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that comply with the Securities Laws and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. General Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Internal Controls are, or upon consummation of the offering of the Securities will be, overseen by the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board in accordance with Exchange Rules. The Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board, and within the next 135 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, a significant deficiency, material weakness, change in Internal Controls or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls, any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Securities Laws, or any matter which, if determined adversely, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxii)            Independent Accountants. Briggs & Veselka Co., who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, are independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and as required by the Act and the applicable rules and guidance from the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(xxxiii)            Independent Reserve Engineers. Weir International, Inc. (“Weir”), whose reserves and resource studies (the “Weir Studies”) related to the proven and probable coal reserves of the Company’s Berwind, RAM Mine, Knox Creek and Elk Creek properties are referenced in, or information from such studies appears in, as the case may be, in the General Disclosure Package was, as of February 18, 2021, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent engineering firm with respect to the Company. True Line, Inc. (“True Line”), whose reserves and resource studies (the “True Line Studies”) related to the proven and probable coal reserves of the Company’s Berwind, RAM Mine, Knox Creek and Elk Creek properties are referenced in, or information from such studies appears in, as the case may be, in the General Disclosure Package was, as of February 18, 2021, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent engineering firm with respect to the Company.

(xxxiv)            Accurate Factual Information. The factual information underlying the estimates of the Company’s proven and probable coal reserves included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, which was supplied by the Company to Weir and True Line for the purposes of preparing the Weir Studies and the True Line Studies, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates such estimates were made and such information was supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary industry practices; other than intervening market commodity price fluctuations (which are not included in such studies), and except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a material adverse change in the estimates of the Company’s proven and probable coal reserves, as reflected in the reports referenced in the Weir Studies and the True Line Studies.

(xxxv)            Litigation. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are threatened or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated.

(xxxvi)            Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes, set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods shown, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP; and the schedules included in each Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. No other financial statements or schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the General Disclosure Package. The interactive date in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Briggs & Veselka Co., which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules filed as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, is (x) an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Laws, (y) a registered public accounting firm (as defined in Section 2(a)(12) of Sarbanes-Oxley, and (z) in the performance of its work for the Company has not been in violation of the auditor independence requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley.

(xxxvii)            Material Contracts. There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the General Disclosure Package or Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required.

(xxxviii)            Rights-of-Way. The Company and its subsidiaries have such consents, easements, rights-of-way or licenses from each person (collectively, “rights-of-way”) as are necessary to conduct its business in the manner described, and subject to the limitations contained, in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, except for (i) qualifications, reservations and encumbrances as may be set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus which are not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect upon the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to conduct its businesses in all material respects as currently conducted and as contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted and (ii) such rights-of-way that, if not obtained, would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect upon the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to conduct its businesses in all material respects as currently conducted and as contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted; other than as set forth, and subject to the limitations contained, in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to such rights-of-way and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or would result in any impairment of the rights of the holder of any such rights-of-way, except for such revocations, terminations and impairments that would not have a Material Adverse Effect upon the ability of the Company to conduct its businesses in all material respects as currently conducted and as contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted; and, except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, none of such rights-of-way contains any restriction that is materially burdensome to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(xxxix)       No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (i) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that is material and adverse, (ii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, and (iii) except as disclosed in or contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries.

(xl)            Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

(xli)          Ratings. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined in Section (3)(a)(62) of the Exchange Act (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering any of the actions described in Section 7(e)(ii) hereof.

(xlii)          Taxes. Except as, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its subsidiaries has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due (except as currently being contested in good faith and for which any reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company). No tax deficiency that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(xliii)         Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are adequate and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

(xliv)        Anti-Corruption. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or affiliates, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, any agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to unlawfully influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

(xlv)        Anti-Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xlvi)         Economic Sanctions.

(xlvii)       Cybersecurity; Data Protection. Except as would not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) operate and perform as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of, to the knowledge of the Company, all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. Except as could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and all personal data and sensitive, confidential or regulated data maintained or processed by the Company and its subsidiaries in connection with their businesses (collectively, the “Confidential Data”), and (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to such Confidential Data, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person. Except as could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, and all internal policies and contractual obligations of the Company and its subsidiaries, governing the privacy and security of IT Systems and Confidential Data and the protection of such IT Systems and Confidential Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

3.         Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amounts of Firm Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite its name at a purchase price of $[●] per Security (the “Purchase Price”).

The Company and the Transfer Agent will deliver the Firm Securities to, or as instructed by, the Representative for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representative against payment of the Purchase Price in Federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representative, at the office of [Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, 600 Travis Street, Suite 4200, Houston, Texas 77002, at 10:00 A.M.], [New York time], on [●], 2021, or at such other time not later than seven (7) full business days thereafter as the Representative and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date.” For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, the First Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Securities sold pursuant to the offering. Delivery of the Firm Securities will be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

In addition, upon written notice from the Representative given to the Company from time to time not more than thirty (30) days subsequent to the date of the Final Prospectus, the Underwriters may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Securities at the Purchase Price. No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representative to the Company. Any exercise note shall specify the principal amount of Optional Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such Optional Securities are to be purchased.

Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities, being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date,” which may be the First Closing Date (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”), shall be determined by the Representative but shall not be earlier than the First Closing Date nor later than five (5) full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. On each Optional Closing Date, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the principal amount of Optional Securities (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional Securities as the Representative may determine) that bears the same proportion as the principal amount of Firm Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter to the aggregate principal amount of Firm Securities. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The delivery of any Optional Securities will be made through the facilities of DTC unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

4.            Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.

5.             Certain Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a)         Additional Filings. Unless filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) as part of the Additional Registration Statement in accordance with the next sentence, the Company will file the Final Prospectus, in a form approved by the Representative, with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with subparagraph (1) (or, if applicable and if consented to by the Representative, subparagraph (4)) of Rule 424(b) not later than the earlier of (A) the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or (B) the fifteenth business day after the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement. The Company will advise the Representative promptly of any such filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and provide satisfactory evidence to the Representative of such timely filing. If an Additional Registration Statement is necessary to register a portion of the Securities under the Act but the Effective Time thereof has not occurred as of the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will file the Additional Registration Statement or, if filed, will file a post-effective amendment thereto with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 462(b) on or prior to 10:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, on or prior to the time the Final Prospectus is finalized and distributed to any Underwriter, or will make such filing at such later date as shall have been consented to by the Representative.

(b)           Filing of Amendments: Response to Commission Requests. The Company will promptly advise the Representative of any proposal to amend or supplement at any time the Initial Registration Statement, any Additional Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus and will not effect such amendment or supplementation without the Representative’s consent; and the Company will also advise the Representative promptly of (i) the effectiveness of any Additional Registration Statement (if its Effective Time is subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement), (ii) any amendment or supplementation of a Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus, (iii) any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment to any Registration Statement, for any supplement to any Statutory Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of a Registration Statement or the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (v) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceedings for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(c)           Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Laws so as to permit the completion of sales of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act by any Underwriter or dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, including, without limitation, the filing of any document incorporated by reference therein, the Company will promptly notify the Representative of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and the dealers and any other dealers upon request of the Representative, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the Representative’s consent to, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof.

(d)          Testing-the-Waters Communication. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such statement or omission.

(e)           Rule 158. As soon as practicable, but not later than the Availability Date (as defined below), the Company will make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement (or, if later, the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement) which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act. For the purpose of the preceding sentence, “Availability Date” means the day after the end of the fourth fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes such Effective Time on which the Company is required to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for such fiscal quarter except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter on which the Company is required to file its Annual Report on Form 10-K.

(f)            Furnishing of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Representative copies of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits, any Statutory Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Representative reasonably requests. The Registration Statement, any Statutory Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished in accordance with this Section will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“EDGAR”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(g)           Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative designates and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution.

(h)           Reporting Requirements. During the period of five years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Representative and, upon request, to each of the other Underwriters, as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual report to stockholders for such year; and the Company will furnish to the Representative (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of the Company filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time to time, such other information concerning the Company as the Representative may reasonably request. However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on EDGAR, it is not required to furnish such reports or statements to the Underwriters.

(i)         Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including but not limited to any filing fees and other expenses incurred in connection with qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative designates and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto, costs and expenses related to the review by FINRA of the Securities (including filing fees), costs and expenses relating to investor presentations or any “road show” in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities including, without limitation, any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees, and any other expenses of the Company including fees and expenses incident to listing the Securities on the NASDAQ Stock Market, fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, expenses incurred in distributing preliminary prospectuses and the Final Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the Underwriters, expenses incurred for preparing, printing and distributing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses to investors or prospective investors. It is understood that except as provided in this Section 5(i) and Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel and any road show expenses incurred by them (other than costs and expenses incurred by the Underwriters on behalf of the Company); provided, that out-of-pocket, accountable, bona fide expenses actually incurred, including any reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of Underwriters’ counsel, will be reimbursed by the Company up to an aggregate amount not to exceed $125,000, in each case as permitted by FINRA regulations.

(j)            Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it in connection with this offering in the manner described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the General Disclosure Package and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any Underwriter or affiliate of any Underwriter.

(k)          Absence of Manipulation. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(l)            Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Act.

(m)         Listing. The Company has applied to list the Securities for trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market and, in connection therewith, the Company shall have caused to be prepared and submitted to the NASDAQ Stock Market a listing application with respect to the Securities. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to list the Securities on the NASDAQ Stock Market.

(n)            Term Sheet. The Company will prepare a final term sheet relating to the offering of the Securities, containing only information that describes the final terms of the offering in a form consented to by the Representative, substantially in the form of Schedule C hereto, and to file such term sheet within the period required by Rule 433(d)(5)(ii) under the Act following the date the final terms have been established for the offering of the Securities.

6.           Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that, unless they obtain the prior consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping. The Company represents that is has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show.

7.             Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein (as though made on such Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:

(a)           Accountants’ Comfort Letter. The Representative shall have received a “comfort letter,” dated the date hereof, of Briggs & Veselka Co. in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, covering the financial information in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and other customary matters. In addition, on each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received from the accountant a “bring-down comfort letter” dated such Closing Date addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, in the form of the “comfort letter” delivered on the date hereof, except that (i) it shall state the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings and (ii) procedures shall be brought down to a date no more than three (3) days prior to such Closing Date, except as otherwise agreed by the Representative.

(b)            [Reserved]

(c)       Independent Engineer Comfort Letters. The Representative shall have received letters, dated the date hereof, of Weir and True Line, independent mining engineers, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, covering the coal reserves information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and other customary matters relating to the Company’s reserves. In addition, on each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received from such independent mining engineers “bring-down comfort letters” dated such Closing Date addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, in the form of the “comfort letters” delivered on the date hereof, except that (i) such letters shall cover the coal reserves information in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and (ii) procedures shall be brought down to a date no more than three (3) days prior to the Closing Date, except as otherwise agreed by the Representative.

(d)           Effectiveness of Registration Statement. If the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement (if any) is not prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, such Effective Time shall have occurred not later than 10:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, the time the Final Prospectus is finalized and distributed to any Underwriter, or shall have occurred at such later time as shall have been consented to by the Representative. The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) hereof. Prior to such Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Representative, shall be contemplated by the Commission.

(e)           No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating); (iii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iv) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Stock Market, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (v) any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (vi) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vii) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment or clearance services in the United States or any other country where such securities are listed or (viii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Representative, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities.

(f)            Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Representative shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Company, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

(g)           Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The Representative shall have received from Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Representative may require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(h)          Officers’ Certificate. The Representative shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date, of an executive officer of the Company and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers shall state that: the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct; the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, are contemplated by the Commission; the Additional Registration Statement (if any) satisfying the requirements of subparagraphs (1) and (3) of Rule 462(b) was timely filed pursuant to Rule 462(b), including payment of the applicable filing fee in accordance with Rule 111(a) or (b) of Regulation S-T of the Commission; and, subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus or as described in such certificate.

(i)             [Reserved].

(j)             [Reserved].

The Company will furnish the Representative with any additional opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representative may reasonably request and conformed copies of documents delivered pursuant to this Section 7. The Representative may in its sole discretion waive on behalf of the Underwriters compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, whether in respect of an Optional Closing Date or otherwise.

8.            Indemnification and Contribution. (a) Indemnification of Underwriters by Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any road show presentation or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

(b)          Indemnification of Company. Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show presentation or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Final Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: (i) the [sixth] paragraph on the cover of the Final Prospectus, (ii) the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the [fifth] paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and (iii) the paragraph relating to stabilization by the Underwriters under the caption “Short Positions, Stabilization and Penalty Bids.”

(c)           Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under Sections 8(a) or 8(b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under Sections 8(a) or 8(b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Party otherwise than under Sections 8(a) or 8(b) above. In case any such action is brought against any Indemnified Party and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such Indemnified Party (who shall not, except with the consent of the Indemnified Party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such Indemnified Party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such Indemnified Party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of an Indemnified Party.

(d)            Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Party under Sections 8(a) or 8(b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in Sections 8(a) or 8(b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this Section 8(d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 8(d).

9.            Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations to purchase Securities hereunder on either the First or any Optional Closing Date and the aggregate principal amount of the Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, the Representative may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Securities by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate principal amount of Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for the purchase of such Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except as provided in Section 10 (provided that if such default occurs with respect to Optional Securities after the First Closing Date, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities or any Optional Securities purchased prior to such termination). As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

10.            Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. If the purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 hereof or the occurrence of any event specified in clause (iv), (vi) and (vii) of Section 7(e) hereof, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonably documented fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Securities, and the respective obligations of the Company and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall remain in effect. In addition, if any Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 2 and all obligations under Section 5 shall also remain in effect.

11.            Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or emailed and confirmed to the Representative at the following addresses: B. Riley Securities, Inc., 299 Park Avenue, 21^st Floor, New York, NY 10171, Attention: General Counsel, or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or emailed and confirmed to it at 250 West Main Street, Suite 1800, Lexington, Kentucky 40507, Attention: General Counsel; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 will be mailed, delivered or emailed and confirmed to such Underwriter.

12.            Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective natural persons, personal representatives and successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

13.            Representation of Underwriters. The Representative will act for the several Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and any action under this Agreement taken by the Representative will be binding upon all the Underwriters.

14.            Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Facsimile copies or “pdf” or similar electronic data format copies of signatures shall constitute original signatures for all purposes of this Agreement and any enforcement hereof. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement and any certificate, agreement or other document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including, without limitation, the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act. For the purpose of this Section 14, “Electronic Signature” means any electronic symbol or process (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign) attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

15.            Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

(a)            No Other Relationship. The Representative has been retained solely to act as an underwriter in connection with the sale of the Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company, on the one hand, and the Representative, on the other, has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Final Prospectus, irrespective of whether the Representative has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;

(b)            Arms’ Length Negotiations. The price of the Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representative, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(c)            Absence of Obligation to Disclose. The Company has been advised that the Representative and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Representative has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

(d)            Waiver. The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims they may have against the Representative for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Representative shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.

16.            Applicable Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without regard to its choice of law provisions.

The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

17.            Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and each of the underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

18.            Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients. The Company shall provide such information to the Underwriters as required.

(Signature pages follow)

If the foregoing is in accordance with the Representative’s understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first written above.

B. Riley Securities, Inc.

Acting severally on behalf of itself
and the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

SCHEDULE A

SCHEDULE B

SCHEDULE C

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433 

Registration No. 333-257166

PRICING TERM SHEET 

July [●], 2021

$25,000,000

RAMACO RESOURCES, INC.

$25,000,000 [●]% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2026

The information in this pricing term sheet relates to the offering of the [●]% Senior Notes due 2026 of Ramaco Resources, Inc. (the “Offering”) and should be read together with the preliminary prospectus dated [●], 2021 relating to the Offering (the “Preliminary Prospectus”), including the documents incorporated by reference therein, relating to Registration Statement No. 333-257166. The information in this pricing term sheet supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus to the extent inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus. Terms used but not defined herein have the meanings given in the Preliminary Prospectus.

This communication is intended for the sole use of the person to whom it is provided by us. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell the Notes and is not soliciting an offer to buy the Notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Ramaco Resources, Inc. (“Ramaco”) has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents Ramaco has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Ramaco and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Ramaco, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus and the preliminary prospectus supplement if you request it by calling B. Riley Securities, Inc. at (703) 312-9580 or by emailing prospectuses@brileyfin.com.

Exhibit A

Form of Company Counsel Opinion

We have participated in conferences with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent accountants, independent engineers and counsel for the Underwriters at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto and related matters were discussed. Although we have not independently verified, are not passing upon, and are not assuming any responsibility for or expressing any opinion regarding the accuracy, completeness, or fairness of the statements contained in, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (except to the extent specified in paragraphs (9) and (10) above), based on the foregoing, in participation in this transaction (and relying as to materiality as to factual matters on officers, employees, and other representatives of the Company), no facts have come to our attention that have caused us to believe that:

(a)            the Registration Statement, at the time it was declared effective (including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading;

(b)            the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or

(c)            the Final Prospectus, as of its date and as of the date hereof, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

except that in each case such counsel need not express any belief with respect to (i) the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, (ii) any other financial or accounting information; or (iii) any coal reserve data or data underlying any mining plan or reports related to such reserves or mining plan, including any feasibility study or reasonableness review, or any information or estimates derived therefrom, in each case included in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.