Hawthorne Coal S-4 Registration of securities issued in business combination transactions

Exhibit 12.1

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preference Dividends

	Year Ended December 31,
	2012			2011			2010			2009			2008
Earnings:
Pretax income (loss) excluding income or loss from equity investments	$	(1,102,837	)	$	52,825		$	133,331		$	(22,643	)	$	351,364
Adjustments:
Fixed charges	344,042			293,106			153,467			118,075			99,562
Distributed income from equity investments	5,342			19,360			9,917			5,164			2,167
Capitalized interest, net of amortization	19,163			2,113			4,417			3,143			(8,351		)
Arch Western Resources, LLC dividends on preferred membership interest	(72		)	(91		)	(107		)	(58		)	(107		)
Total earnings (loss)	$	(734,362	)	$	367,313		$	301,025		$	103,681		$	452,986
Fixed charges:
Interest expense	$	317,626		$	230,186		$	142,549		$	105,932		$	76,139
Capitalized interest	15,625			1,937			—			824			11,703
Bridge financing costs related to ICG	—			49,490			—			—			—
Arch Western Resources, LLC dividends on preferred membership interest	72			91			107			58			107
Portions of rent which represent an interest factor	10,719			11,402			10,811			11,261			11,613
Total fixed charges	$	344,042		$	293,106		$	153,467		$	118,075		$	99,562
Preferred stock dividends	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—		$	12
Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends	$	344,042		$	293,106		$	153,467		$	118,075		$	99,574
Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preference dividends	N/A			1.25		x	1.96		x	0.88		x	4.55		x

Earnings consist of income from continuing operations before income taxes and are adjusted to include only distributed income from affiliates accounted for on the equity method and fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest).  Fixed charges consist of interest incurred on indebtedness, the portion of operating lease rentals deemed representative of the interest factor and the amortization of debt expense.