Sec. 1. (a) As used in this chapter, "strip mine" means a tract of land on which the surface soil has been removed or is being removed or is proposed to be removed from the coal seam by one (1) group of operating machines or machinery and where mine run coal is being produced in the raw state ready for direct sale to a consumer or for transportation to a cleaning or preparation plant.
(b) The term includes the plant used for cleaning and preparing the coal for market.