Quarterly Production Update

Atlantic Coal plc / Index: AIM / Epic: ATC / Sector: Mining

30 July 2012

Atlantic Coal plc ("Atlantic" or the "Company")

Quarterly Production Update

Change of Broker

Atlantic Coal plc, the AIM-listed opencast coal production and processing company with activities in Pennsylvania, USA, is pleased to announce a positive production update from the Stockton Colliery ("Stockton"), its opencast anthracite operation, for the three months ended 30 June 2012.

Highlights

·; 18.8% increase in clean coal production compared to Q1 2012 due to successful diversion of Norfolk Southern Railroad

·; 57.7% increase in removal of bank cubic yards and 3% increase in run-of-mine coal washed

·; Average sales price realised was US$166.85 due to continued strong demand for high quality anthracite

·; The Board anticipates production to increase further and is targeting production of more than 155,000 tons for 2012

Atlantic Managing Director Steve Best said, "The successful diversion of the railroad in April has transformed our production profile at Stockton, and I am pleased to report that this is reflected in our increased quarter on quarter results. I am confident that this production increase will accelerate further over the coming months as we focus our attention on reserves contained within the prime Mammoth Seam. The Company equalled its total 2011 ROM production of 208,730 tons in July 2012.

"Additionally, it is important to note that, unlike recent trends in the thermal coal sector, we continue to experience solid demand for our high quality product. This creates a positive pricing environment in which to implement our growth strategy to consolidate our position in the productive Pennsylvanian anthracite field."

Detailed Information

Production increased 18.8% to 37,686 tons of clean coal during Q2 2012 compared to output achieved in the previous quarter (Q1 2012: 31,729 tons). During the period, Atlantic removed 1,128,981 bank cubic yards ("BCY") of overburden (Q1 2012: 715,691 BCY). 88,762 tons of run-of-mine ("ROM") coal were washed (Q1 2012: 85,911 tons). Demand for Stockton's high quality anthracite remains strong and, in line with this, the Company achieved an average sales price of US$166.85 for its Pennsylvanian anthracite (Q1 2012: US$166.30), excluding by-product #5.

The successful completion of the Norfolk Southern Railroad diversion in April 2012 has enabled Atlantic to access approximately 1.0 million tons of previously unworkable reserves and to achieve improved efficiency. The Company is confident that production will continue to increase incrementally during the remainder of 2012 and is targeting clean coal production of more than 155,000 tons for the year to 31 December 2012. This target is in line with an independent mining report produced by Mine Engineers Inc, which predicted that production of 160,000 tons of clean coal is achievable for the year.

Q2 2012 Production Summary:

Change of Broker

The Company announces that, with immediate effect, its joint brokers are Allenby Capital Limited and Cornhill Capital Limited. Allenby Capital Limited remains as nominated adviser.

**ENDS**

For further information on the Company, visit www.atlanticcoal.com or contact: