Royal Coal Reports Coal Sales Contacts for 2012

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TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 12/28/11 -- Royal Coal Corp. ('Royal Coal') (TSX VENTURE: RDA) (FRANKFURT: RLC), a US Central Appalachian producer of high BTU, low sulphur thermal coal, is pleased to announce that it has secured coal sales contracts for 234,000 tons to be delivered over a 12 month period commencing January 2012. These contracts provide for the delivery of run-of-mine coal at an average sales price of US$85/ton with delivery at mine site.

'These contracts are very attractive and give the company a solid foundation of sales for the upcoming year' commented Tom Griffis, Chairman of Royal Coal. 'The company is pursuing increased production from its own operations and permits as well as the potential of additional production through the acquisition of new assets. Royal Coal also anticipates new term contacts to be signed over the coming weeks for additional sales in 2012.'


About Royal Coal

Royal Coal is a coal exploration and production company, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with a regional office in Hazard, Kentucky, U.S.A. whose primary business focus is developing producing surface coal mining operations in the Central Appalachian coal producing region of the United States, which includes parts of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee.


This release contains 'forward-looking information' that includes information relating to future events and future financial and operating performance. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including 'anticipates', 'believes', 'intends', 'estimates', 'expects' and similar expressions. Forward-looking information should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by which, that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time it is made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and such information is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause these differences include but are not limited to: pricing and assumptions and projections concerning reserves and/ or resources in our mining operations; changes in contracted sales, the business of the Company may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the coal market; the Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; the worldwide demand for coal; the price of coal; the price of alternative fuel sources; the supply of coal and other competitive factors; the costs to mine and transport coal; industry competition; the Company's ability to continue to execute its growth strategies; the Company's ability to complete planned acquisitions; and general economic conditions. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking information. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking information to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If we do update one or more forward-looking information, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking information. The company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



Contacts:

Royal Coal Corp.
Tom Griffis, Chairman
(416) 861-8775

Royal Coal Corp.
Richard Buzbuzian, Investor Relations
(647) 501-3290