FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * EAVES JOHN W   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ARCH COAL INC [ACI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President & COO (Last) (First) (Middle) ONE CITYPLACE DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/21/2012 (Street) ST. LOUIS, MO 63141 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/21/2012   A   10,850 A $ 14.15 (1) 118,457 D   Common Stock               9,597 I By 401(k) plan

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Restricted Stock Units

(2)

02/21/2012

M

10,850

(3)

(4)

Common Stock

10,850

(1)

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
EAVES JOHN W ONE CITYPLACE DRIVE ST. LOUIS, MO 63141	X		President & COO

Signatures

/s/ Jon S. Ploetz, Attorney-in-Fact		02/22/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The reporting person received 21,700 restricted stock units on February 21, 2008. The restricted stock units vested as follows: 10,850 units vested on February 21, 2011 and 10,850 units vested on February 21, 2012. Upon vesting of 10,850 restricted stock units on February 21, 2012, the reporting person received 10,850 shares of common stock.
(2)	Each restricted stock unit represents a right to receive one share of common stock unless otherwise deferred, at the reporting person's election, pursuant to the Arch Coal, Inc. Executive Deferred Compensation Plan.
(3)	The reporting person received 21,700 restricted stock units on February 21, 2008. The restricted stock units vested ratably over a two-year period. On February 21, 2011, 10,850 restricted stock units vested and on February 21, 2012, 10,850 restricted stock units vested.
(4)	The restricted stock units do not expire.

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