Penguin Miners Co.

The Penguin Miners Co. is the largest mining company in the United States of Antarctica, and is one of the largest corporations of its type in all of Antarctica. It is a privately-owned and operated company, and is one of Antarctica's largest businesses to not be traded on the stock market.

Penguin Miners Co. operates more than twelve mines, two-thirds of which are also owned by them. The mining company digs for gold, silver, coal, iron ore, copper and oil, which are essential to everyday penguin life. The company was founded in 2000 and commenced operations at the former Van Houten Mine in The Happyface State. Its flagship operation is based at the Mine on Club Penguin Island. Penguin Miners Co. has corporate offices in South Pole City and Shops City. Both the Antarctic and Shopper governments take great interest in the operations of Penguin Miners Co., due to its large tax contributions and its job-creation potential.

History
The Penguin Miners Co., formerly AMA , was founded after the USA gained independence in 2000. Illegal mining companies and other minor operations in Colonial Antarctica were closed and only one mining company would be given the license to mine in the USA. Two mining companies, Frostborough Mining Co-operation and the Internataional UnitedTerra Association of Miners (IUTM) were already in operation and were merged into a joint venture. Many thought this was unfair, considering the fact that they are not USA-based companies. Thus, they formed the "Antarctica Mining Association" or AMA. They were officially given the rights to mine after convincing the government that they were based in USA.

Two unused mines, formerly owned by illegal mining companies, were eventually operated by Penguin Miners Co. One was the Van Houten Mine, named after the mine's founder. It became the main base for the AMA. There was also an unnamed mine at the outskirts of South Pole City, which was obtained by the company, too. The owner of both mines are controlled under the USA government, thus, they had to follow their strict rules and environmental regulations.

They eventually acquired both properties fully from the USA government, after they struck a deal in 2002. They had full control of both mines, and eventually set up a full office next to the Van Houten Mine. More were employed to work, and the mining company became the top in Antarctica, mainly due to to their low opposition and competition.

In 2005, they shifted their base to Club Penguin Island and renamed themselves Penguin Miners Co.. They turned a cave into a mine, which became the main hub of operations today. They also built an attraction there that increased profits. They built a further three mines, in the list below (listed in terms of when they became a Penguin Miners Co. Mine). In 2006, they built three further mines. The Rough Ross Mine contained deposits of oil sand, and a subsidiary was founded, known as "Penguin Oil Co.". This was abolished after the USA closed it down, stating "it was illegal and that another company had the official license and that they could continue operations under the current name". The subsidiary was terminated, and the income turned into a fraction of Penguin Miners Co.'s annual revenue. This boosted their economic status.

The Van Houten Mine, which was operated by the Penguin Miners Co., eventually closed down in January 2007, but was turned into a tourist attraction by Puff Flags in 2008. The unnamed mine was renamed the "Gold Coin Mine", and was renovated fully. It is still under a mine opened after it as it is not a main base. The main base comes first. Four mines were set up by the now-defunct mining company Minemakers Inc. through 1998 to 2009. After it could no longer pay its bills due to low return on its investments, the company declared bankruptcy and went into liquidation. Minemakers was forced to sell its inventory at fire-sale prices, and as such Penguin Miners Co. bought out the majority of its fleet and operations at rock-bottom prices. Before declaring bankruptcy, Minemakers most notably operated the Lowlaw East Mine, the only mine on USA territory owned by a third party other than Penguin Miners Co. and the USA government (though it leans to the side of the USA, considering the fact it is owned by the mayor of Lowlaw Island).

Over time, Shopper businessmen have become highly interested in the machinations of Penguin Miners Co., and as such the company has set up a second headquarters in Shops City to open itself up to new markets in Shops Island and its territories.

Operated
These mines are owned by companies and local governments other than Penguin Miners Co., but the latter has nonetheless been brought in to help with extraction efforts.

Equipment Fleet
Penguin Miners Co. has a large fleet of mining equipment. This includes Mining Excavators, Wheel Loaders, Off-Road Haul Trucks, Bulldozers, and much more.

 File:Excavator.png|An Excavator. They employ around 200 of these. 

Gallery
 File:TheQuarries.png|The Quarries 