Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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 *
  Ziegler John A.
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
04/01/2012		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ARCH COAL INC [ACI]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
ONE CITYPLACE DRIVE, SUITE 300		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Vice President - HR
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

ST. LOUIS, MO 63141		 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 850
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Phantom Stock   (1)   (1) Common Stock 399 $ (2) D  
Restricted Stock Units   (3)   (4) Common Stock 3,400 $ 13.93 D  
Employee Stock Options   (5) 02/23/2022 Common Stock 8,550 $ 13.93 D  
Employee Stock Options   (6) 12/02/2012 Common Stock 3,024 $ 10.26 D  
Employee Stock Options   (7) 02/22/2017 Common Stock 5,350 $ 32.99 D  
Employee Stock Options   (8) 04/26/2017 Common Stock 4,100 $ 37.72 D  
Employee Stock Options   (9) 02/21/2018 Common Stock 5,350 $ 52.69 D  
Employee Stock Options   (10) 02/19/2019 Common Stock 8,700 $ 14.05 D  
Employee Stock Options   (11) 02/18/2020 Common Stock 6,550 $ 22.65 D  
Employee Stock Options   (12) 02/24/2021 Common Stock 5,400 $ 32.49 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Ziegler John A.
ONE CITYPLACE DRIVE
SUITE 300
ST. LOUIS, MO 63141		       Vice President - HR  

Signatures

/s/ Jon S. Ploetz, Attorney-in-Fact 04/06/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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) Shares of phantom stock are payable in cash on the date or dates elected by the Executive Officer, subject to the terms of the Arch Coal, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Plan). The Executive Officer may transfer any and all of the phantom stock account into an alternative investment account at any time.
(2) Each share of phantom stock represents a right to receive the value in cash of one share of Arch Coal, Inc. common stock. The shares of phantom stock are held by the Executive Officer through the Plan. The shares of phantom stock acquired by the Executive Officer represent past compensation that the Executive Officer elected to defer under the Plan into a hypothetical investment in shares of Arch Coal, Inc. common stock.
(3) The reporting person received 3,400 restricted stock units on February 23, 2012. The restricted stock units vest on February 23, 2015.
(4) The restricted stock units do not expire.
(5) The reporting person received 8,550 stock options on February 23, 2012. The options vest ratably over 3 years as follows: 2,850 shares will vest on February 23, 2013; 2,850 shares will vest on February 23, 2014; and 2,850 shares will vest on February 23, 2015.
(6) The reporting person received 12,100 stock options on December 2, 2002. The options vested ratably over 4 years as follows: 3,025 shares vested on December 2, 2003; 3,025 shares vested on December 2, 2004; 3,025 shares vested on December 2, 2005; and 3,025 shares vested on December 2, 2006.
(7) The reporting person received 5,350 stock options on February 22, 2007; The stock options vested ratably over a period of 3 years as follows: 1,784 shares vested on February 22, 2008; 1,783 shares vested on February 22, 2009; and 1,783 shares vested on February 22, 2010.
(8) The reporting person received 4,100 stock options on April 26, 2007. The stock options vested ratably over 3 years as follows: 1,367 shares vested on April 26, 2008; 1,367 shares vested on April 26, 2009; and 1,366 shares vested on April 26, 2010.
(9) The reporting person received 5,350 stock options on February 21, 2008. The stock options vested ratably over 3 years as follows: 1,784 shares vested on February 21, 2009; 1,783 shares vested on February 21,2010; and 1,783 shares vested on February 21, 2011.
(10) The reporting person received 8,700 stock options on February 19, 2009. The options vest ratably over 4 years as follows: 2,175 shares vested on February 19, 2010; 2,175 shares vested on February 19, 2011; 2,175 shares vested on February 19, 2012; and 2,175 shares will vest on February 19, 2013.
(11) The reporting person received 6,550 stock options on February 18, 2010. The options vest ratably over 4 years as follows: 1,638 shares vested on February 18, 2011; 1,637 shares vested on February 18, 2012; 1,638 shares will vest on February 18, 2013; and 1,637 shares will vest on February 18, 2014.
(12) The reporting person received 5,400 stock options on February 24, 2011. The stock options vest ratably over 3 years as follows: 1,800 shares vested on February 24, 2012; 1,800 shares will vest on February 24, 2013; and 1,800 shares will vest on February 24, 2014.

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