REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

Exhibit 10.12

EXECUTION VERSION

This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of November 23, 2005, by and among Energy Coal Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with any successor entity thereto, the “Company”), Sentient Global Resources Fund I, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, Sentient Global Resources Trust No. 1, an Australian unit trust, Colorado Energy Investments, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, Fountain Investments, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. (together, the “Current Stockholders”) and Friedman, Billings, Xxxxxx & Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation (“FBR”), for the benefit of FBR, the Current Stockholders and the purchasers of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share, as participants (“Participants”) in the private placement by the Company of shares of its common stock (the “Private Placement”), and the direct and indirect transferees of FBR and each of the Participants.

This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase/Placement Agreement (the “Purchase/Placement Agreement”), dated as of November 16, 2005, by and between the Company and FBR in connection with the purchase and sale or placement of an aggregate of 5,700,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (plus an additional 855,000 shares to cover additional allotments, if any). In order to induce FBR to enter into the Purchase/Placement Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide the registration rights provided for in this Agreement to FBR, the Participants, the Current Stockholders and their respective direct and indirect transferees. The execution of this Agreement is a condition to the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase/Placement Agreement.

The parties hereby agree as follows:

1. DEFINITIONS.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

144A/Regulation S Shares: Shares initially sold to FBR in the Private Placement and resold by FBR to “qualified institutional buyers” (as such term is defined in Rule 144A) or to “non-U.S. persons” (in accordance with Regulation S) in an “offshore transaction” (in accordance with Regulation S).

Agreement: As defined in the preamble.

Affiliate: As to any specified Person, (i) any Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding, with power to vote, ten percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of such other Person, (ii) any Person ten percent or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held, with power to vote, by such other Person, (iii) any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such other Person, (iv) any executive officer, director, trustee or general partner of such

Person and (v) any legal entity for which such Person acts as an executive officer, director, trustee or general partner. An indirect relationship shall include circumstances in which a Person’s spouse, children, parents, siblings or mother-, father-, sister- or brother-in-law is or has been associated with a Person.

Business Day: With respect to any act to be performed hereunder, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York or other applicable places where such act is to occur are authorized or obligated by applicable law, regulation or executive order to close.

Closing Date: The date of this Agreement or such other time or such other date as FBR and the Company may agree.

Commission: The Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Stock: The common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

Company: As defined in the preamble.

Controlling Person: As defined in Section 6(a) hereof.

Current Stockholder Shares: The shares of Common Stock owned by the Current Stockholders immediately following the consummation of the Private Placement.

End of Suspension Notice: As defined in Section 5(b) hereof.

Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission pursuant thereto.

FBR: As defined in the preamble.

Form 8-K: Current report required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as such form may be amended from time to time, or any similar form, rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such form.

Form 10-K: Annual report required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as such form may be amended from time to time, or any similar form, rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such form.

Form 10-Q: Quarterly report required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as such form may be amended from time to time, or any similar form, rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such form.

Holder: Each record owner of any Registrable Shares from time to time, including FBR and its Affiliates.

Indemnified Party: As defined in Section 6(c) hereof.

Indemnifying Party: As defined in Section 6(c) hereof.

IPO Registration Statement: As defined in Section 2(b) hereof.

Liabilities: As defined in Section 6(a) hereof.

NASD: The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

No Objections Letter: As defined in Section 4(a)(xx) hereof.

Offering Memorandum: The Offering Memorandum of the Company dated November 16, 2005 pursuant to which the 144A/Regulation S Shares and the Private Placement Shares are offered and sold.

Participant: As defined in the preamble.

Penalty Payment Default: As defined in Section 2(f) hereof.

Person: An individual, partnership, corporation, trust, unincorporated organization, government or agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other legal entity.

Private Placement: As defined in the preamble.

Private Placement Shares: Shares initially sold by the Company directly to “accredited investors” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) promulgated under the Securities Act) as Participants, with FBR acting as placement agent.

Proceeding: An action, claim, suit or proceeding (including without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or, to the knowledge of the Person subject thereto, threatened.

Prospectus: The prospectus included in any Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and all other amendments and supplements to any such prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference, if any, in such prospectus.

Purchase/Placement Agreement: As defined in the preamble.

Purchaser Indemnitee: As defined in Section 6(a) hereof.

Registrable Shares: The 144A/Regulation S Shares, the Private Placement Shares and the Current Stockholder Shares upon original issuance thereof, and at all times subsequent thereto, including upon the transfer thereof by the original holder or any subsequent holder and any shares or other securities issued in respect of such Registrable Shares by reason of or in connection with any stock dividend, stock distribution, stock split, purchase in any rights offering or in connection with any exchange for or replacement of such Registrable Shares or

any combination of shares, recapitalization, merger or consolidation, or any other equity securities issued pursuant to any other pro rata distribution with respect to the Common Stock, until, in the case of any such 144A/Regulation S Share, Private Placement Share or Current Stockholder Shares, the earliest to occur of (i) the date on which it has been first registered effectively pursuant to the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the Registration Statement relating to it, (ii) the date on which either it is distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in effect) or is eligible for sale without registration, pursuant to Rule 144(k) promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or (iii) the date on which it is sold to the Company or any subsidiary of the Company.

Registration Expenses: Any and all expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement, including, without limitation: (i) all Commission, securities exchange, NASD registration (if any), listing, inclusion and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with international, federal or state securities or blue sky laws (including, without limitation, any registration, listing and filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualification of any of the Registrable Shares and the preparation of a blue sky memorandum and compliance with the rules of the NASD), (iii) all expenses in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, duplicating, printing, delivering and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements, certificates and any other documents relating to the performance under and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or inclusion of any of the Registrable Shares on any securities exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market pursuant to Section 4(a)(xiv) of this Agreement, (v) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of the independent public accountants of the Company (including, without limitation, the expenses of any special audit and “cold comfort” letters required by or incident to such performance), (vi) reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel, reasonably acceptable to the Company, for the Holders, selected by the Holders holding a majority of the Registrable Shares included in the registration (such counsel, “Selling Holders’ Counsel”) and (vii) any fees and disbursements customarily paid in issues and sales of securities (including the fees and expenses of any experts retained by the Company in connection with any Registration Statement); provided, however, that Registration Expenses shall exclude brokers’ or underwriters’ discounts and commissions, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Shares by a Holder.

Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company that covers the resale of Registrable Shares pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference, if any, in such registration statement.

Regulation S: Regulation S (Rules 901-904) promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act, as such rules may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such regulation.

Rule 144: Rule 144, and any of its referenced paragraphs, promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or

any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such rule.

Rule 144A: Rule 144A promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such rule.

Rule 158: Rule 158 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such rule.

Rule 415: Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such rule.

Rule 424: Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such rule.

Rule 457: Rule 457 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission as a replacement thereto having substantially the same effect as such rule.

Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.

Selling Holders’ Counsel: As defined under “Registration Expenses” in Section 1 hereof.

Shares: The shares of Common Stock being offered and sold pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Purchase/Placement Agreement and the Current Stockholder Shares.

Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 2(a) hereof.

Suspension Event: As defined in Section 5(b) hereof.

Suspension Notice: As defined in Section 5(b) hereof.

Underwritten Offering: A sale of securities of the Company to an underwriter or underwriters for reoffering to the public.

2. REGISTRATION RIGHTS

(a) Mandatory Shelf Registration. As set forth in Section 4 hereof, the Company agrees to file with the Commission as soon as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement (but in no event later than the date that is one hundred eighty (180) days after the Closing Date) a shelf Registration Statement on Form S-1 or such other form under the Securities Act then available to the Company providing for the resale of any Registrable Shares pursuant to Rule 415 from time to time by the Holders (a “Shelf Registration Statement”). The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable. Any Shelf Registration Statement shall provide for the resale from time to time, and pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally available (including, without limitation, an Underwritten Offering, a direct sale to

purchasers or a sale through brokers or agents, which may include sales over the internet) by the Holders of any and all Registrable Shares.

(b) IPO Registration.

(i) If the Company proposes to file a registration statement on Form S-1 or such other form under the Securities Act providing for the initial public offering of shares of Common Stock (the “IPO Registration Statement”), the Company will notify each Holder of the proposed filing and afford each Holder an opportunity to include in the IPO Registration Statement all or any part of the Registrable Shares then held by such Holder. Each Holder desiring to include in the IPO Registration Statement all or part of the Registrable Shares held by such Holder shall, within twenty (20) days after receipt of the above-described notice from the Company, so notify the Company in writing, and in such notice shall inform the Company of the number of Registrable Shares such Holder wishes to include in the IPO Registration Statement. Any election by any Holder to include any Registrable Shares in the IPO Registration Statement will not affect the inclusion of such Registrable Shares in the Shelf Registration Statement until such Registrable Shares have been sold under the IPO Registration Statement.

(ii) Right to Terminate IPO Registration. The Company shall have the right to terminate or withdraw the IPO Registration Statement initiated by it referred to in this Section 2(b) prior to the effectiveness of such registration whether or not any Holder has elected to include Registrable Shares in such registration.

(iii) Selection of Underwriter. The Company shall have the sole right to select the managing underwriter(s) for its initial public offering, regardless of whether any Registrable Shares are included in the IPO Registration Statement or otherwise. The Company shall advise all Holders of the managing underwriter(s) for the Underwritten Offering proposed under the IPO Registration Statement.

(iv) Shelf Registration not Impacted by IPO Registration Statement. The Company’s obligation to file the Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof shall not be affected by the filing or effectiveness of the IPO Registration Statement; provided, however, that if, prior to filing the Shelf Registration Statement with the Commission, the Company shall have filed an IPO Registration Statement with the Commission on or prior to the 180th day after the Closing Date and such IPO Registration Statement shall not have been declared effective on or prior to such 180th day, the Company may delay the filing of the Shelf Registration Statement beyond such 180th day in the event the staff of the Commission requests in writing, a copy of which shall be promptly provided to FBR, that the Company delay the filing of the Shelf Registration Statement until a later date or point in time in the staff review process, provided further, however, that such delay shall not extend beyond thirty (30) days following the date of initial effectiveness of the IPO Registration Statement.

(c) Underwriting.

(i) The right of any such Holder’s Registrable Shares to be included in the IPO Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Shares in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Shares through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter(s) selected for such underwriting and complete and execute any questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, securities escrow agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting, and furnish to the Company such information as the Company may reasonably request in writing for inclusion in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that no Holder shall be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding such Holder, its holdings and such Holder’s intended method of distribution and any other representation required by law, regulation or reasonably requested by the underwriters. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if the managing underwriter(s) determine(s) in good faith that marketing factors require a limitation on the number of shares to be included, then the managing underwriter(s) may exclude shares (including Registrable Shares) from the IPO Registration Statement and Underwritten Offering, and any shares included in such IPO Registration Statement and Underwritten Offering shall be allocated first, to the Company, and second, to each of the Holders requesting inclusion of their Registrable Shares in such IPO Registration Statement (on a pro rata basis based on the total number of Registrable Shares then held by each such Holder who is requesting inclusion); provided, however, that the number of Registrable Shares to be included in the IPO Registration Statement shall not be reduced unless all other securities of the Company held by (i) officers, directors, other employees of the Company and consultants (other than Registrable Shares held by such persons as Holders under this Agreement); and (ii) other holders of the Company’s capital stock with registration rights that are inferior (with respect to such reduction) to the registration rights of the Holders set forth herein, are first entirely excluded from the underwriting and registration.

(ii) Regardless of whether a Holder elects to include Registrable Shares in the IPO Registration Statement, each Holder of Registrable Shares shall be deemed to have agreed not to effect any public sale or distribution of securities of the Company of the same or similar class or classes of the securities included in the IPO Registration Statement or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, including a sale pursuant to Rule 144 or Rule 144A, during such periods as reasonably requested (but in no event for a period longer than thirty (30) days prior to and sixty (60) days following the effective date of the IPO Registration Statement) by the representatives of the underwriters, if an Underwritten Offering, or by the Company in any other registration.

(iii) If any Holder disapproves of the terms of any such underwriting, such Holder may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company and the underwriter, delivered at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement covering the Underwritten Offering, provided that the Holder may agree to waive this right to withdraw with the Company, the underwriters or any custodial agent in any custody agreement and/or power of attorney executed by such Holder in connection with the underwriting. Any Registrable Shares excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be excluded and withdrawn from the registration.

(d) Company Registrations.

(i) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, in the event the Company decides to register any of its securities, other than as contemplated by Sections 2(a) and 2(b) (either for its own account or the account of a security holder), on a form that would be suitable for a registration involving Registrable Shares, the Company will (i) promptly give the Current Stockholders and the other Holders written notice thereof and (ii) include in such registration (and any related qualification under blue sky laws or other compliance), and in any underwriting involved therein, all the Registrable Shares specified in a written request delivered to the Company by the Current Stockholders and the other Holders within twenty (20) days after delivery of such written notice from the Company.

(ii) Underwriting in Piggyback Registration.

a. Notice of Underwriting in Piggyback Registration. If the registration of which the Company gives notice is for a registered public offering involving an underwriting, the Company shall so advise the Current Stockholders and the other Holders as a part of the written notice given pursuant to Section 2(d)(i). In such event, the right of the Current Stockholders and the other Holders to registration shall be conditioned upon such underwriting and the inclusion of its Registrable Shares in such underwriting to the extent provided in this Section 2(d)(ii). To the extent that the Current Stockholders or the other Holders wish to distribute their securities through such underwriting it shall (together with the Company and any other Holders distributing their securities through such underwriting) enter into an underwriting agreement with the managing underwriter on behalf of all underwriters for such offering. The Current Stockholders and the other Holders shall have no right to participate in the selection of the underwriters for an offering pursuant to this Section 2(d)(ii).

b. Marketing Limitation in Piggyback Registration. In the event the managing underwriter on behalf of all underwriters advises the Holders seeking registration of Registrable Shares pursuant to this Section 2(d) in writing that market factors (including, without limitation, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock requested to be registered, the general condition of the market, and the status of the persons proposing to sell securities pursuant to the registration) require a limitation of the number of shares to be underwritten, the managing underwriter on behalf of all underwriters (subject to the allocation set forth in this Section 2(d)(ii)(b)) may exclude some or all Registrable Shares from such registration and underwriting. In the event that the managing underwriter on behalf of all underwriters limits the number of shares to be included in a registration pursuant to this Section 2(d)(ii)(b), or shall otherwise require a limitation of the number of shares to be included in the registration, then the Company will include in such registration first securities proposed by the Company to be sold for its own account, second securities included in such registration by the Current Stockholders, and third Registrable Shares requested to be included in the registration by any other person holding registration rights. No

Registrable Shares or other securities excluded from the underwriting by reason of this Section 2(d)(ii)(b) shall be included in the Registration Statement.

c. Right of Withdrawal in Piggyback Registration. If any Holder disapproves of the terms of any such underwriting, such Holder may elect to withdraw therefrom by written notice to the Company and the underwriter, delivered at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement covering the Underwritten Offering, provided that the Holder may agree to waive this right to withdraw with the Company, the underwriters or any custodial agent in any custody agreement and/or power of attorney executed by such Holder in connection with the underwriting. Any Registrable Shares excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be excluded and withdrawn from the registration.

(e) Expenses. The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with the registration of the Registrable Shares pursuant to this Agreement. Each Holder participating in a registration pursuant to this Section 2 shall bear such Holder’s proportionate share (based on the total number of Registrable Shares sold in such registration) of all discounts and commissions payable to underwriters or brokers in connection with a registration of Registrable Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

(f) Penalties.

(i) If the Company does not file a Registration Statement registering the resale of the Private Placement Shares and the 144A/Regulation S Shares within one hundred eighty (180) days after the Closing Date, other than as a result of (a) the Commission being unable to accept such filings, (b) circumstances in which the Company has endeavored in good faith to file the Registration Statement within the time period specified but is unable to make the filing as of the specified date as a result of circumstances beyond the Company’s reasonable control, or (c) under the circumstances described in the proviso of Section 2(b)(iv) then the Company shall be required to pay to FBR, on behalf of the Participants, an amount equal to $833,333 per month, with such payment to commence on the first Business Day of the month following the expiration of the one hundred eighty (180) day period. In the event the Company has not filed a Registration Statement within two hundred seventy (270) days after the Closing Date, the monthly payment shall be increased to $1,666,667 per month, with such payment to commence on the first Business Day of the month following the expiration of the two hundred seventy (270) day period.

(ii) If the Company fails to make the payments required by Section 2(f)(i) within ten (10) Business Days of the date such payment is due (the “Penalty Payment Default”), the Company, pursuant to that certain Voting Agreement, dated November 23, 2005, by and among the Company, the Current Stockholders (other than Sentient Global Resources Fund I, L.P. and Sentient Global Resources Trust No.1) and FBR, shall be required to (a) appoint two (2) additional persons, designated by FBR, to the Board of Directors of the Company, and (b) amend the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws and such other documents as may be necessary to allow for the appointment of the additional persons to the Board of Directors. The two (2) additional members of the Board of Directors shall continue to serve on the Board of

Directors until such time as the Company has become current on all payments triggering the Penalty Payment Default and filed a Registration Statement registering the resale of the Private Placement Shares and the 144A/Regulation S Shares.

(iii) All penalties described in this Section 2(f) shall terminate upon the filing of a Registration Statement registering the resale of the Private Placement Shares and the 144A/Regulation S Shares.

3. RULES 144 AND 144A REPORTING

With a view to making available the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the Commission that may at any time permit the sale of the Registrable Shares to the public without registration, the Company agrees to:

(a) use commercially reasonable efforts to make and keep available adequate current public information, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144, at all times after the effective date of the first registration under the Securities Act filed by the Company for an offering of its securities to the general public;

(b) use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting requirements);

(c) so long as a Holder owns any Registrable Shares, if the Company is not required to file reports and other documents under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, it will make available other information as required by, and so long as necessary to permit sales of Registrable Shares pursuant to, Rule 144 or Rule 144A, and in any event shall make available (either by mailing a copy thereof, by posting on the Company’s website, or by press release) to each Holder a copy of:

(i) the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements (including at least balance sheets, statements of profit and loss, statements of stockholders’ equity and statements of cash flows) prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, accompanied by an audit report of the Company’s independent accountants, no later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company; and

(ii) the Company’s unaudited quarterly financial statements (including at least balance sheets, statements of profit and loss, statements of stockholders’ equity and statements of cash flows) prepared in a manner consistent with the preparation of the Company’s annual financial statements, no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company for any fiscal quarter commencing after December 31, 2005;

(d) so long as a Holder owns any Registrable Shares, the Company shall hold, a reasonable time after the financial statements are made available pursuant to Section 3(c)(ii) and upon reasonable notice to the Holders and FBR (either by mail, by posting on the Company’s website, or by press release), a quarterly investor conference call to discuss such financial

statements, which call will also include an opportunity for the Holders to ask questions of management with regard to such financial statements; and

(e) so long as a Holder owns any Registrable Shares, to furnish to the Holder promptly upon request (i) a written statement by the Company as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of Rule 144 (at any time after ninety (90) days after the effective date of the first registration statement filed by the Company for an offering of its securities to the general public), and of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act), and (ii) such other reports and documents of the Company, and take such further actions, as a Holder may reasonably request in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the Commission allowing a Holder to sell any such Registrable Shares without registration.

4. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

(a) In connection with the obligations of the Company with respect to any registration pursuant to this Agreement, (x) the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect or cause to be effected the registration of the Registrable Shares under the Securities Act to permit the sale of such Registrable Shares by the Holder or Holders in accordance with the Holder’s or Holders’ intended method or methods of distribution, and (y) the Company shall:

(i) notify FBR, the Current Stockholders and Selling Holders’ Counsel, in writing, at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the initial filing of a Registration Statement, of its intention to file a Registration Statement with the Commission and, at least five (5) Business Days prior to the initial filing, provide a copy of the Registration Statement to FBR, its counsel, the Current Stockholders and Selling Holders’ Counsel for review and comment; prepare and file with the Commission, as specified in this Agreement, a Registration Statement(s), which Registration Statement(s) (x) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by the Commission to be filed therewith and (y) shall be reasonably acceptable to FBR, its counsel, the Current Stockholders and Selling Holders’ Counsel; notify FBR, the Current Stockholders and Selling Holders’ Counsel in writing, at least five (5) Business Days prior to the filing of any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement and, at least three (3) Business Days prior to filing, provide a copy of such amendment or supplement to FBR, its counsel, the Current Stockholders and Selling Holders’ Counsel for review and comment; promptly following receipt from the Commission, provide to FBR, its counsel, the Current Stockholders and Selling Holders’ Counsel copies of any comments made by the staff of the Commission relating to such Registration Statement and of the Company’s responses thereto for review and comment; and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable after filing and to remain effective, subject to Section 5 hereof, until the earlier of (1) such time as all Registrable Shares covered thereby have been sold in accordance with the intended distribution of such Registrable Shares, (2) there are no Registrable Shares outstanding (including as a result of such Shares having become eligible to be sold pursuant to Rule 144(k)) or (3) the second anniversary of the effective date of such Registration Statement (subject to extension as provided in Section 5(c) hereof); provided, that if the Company has an effective Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act and becomes eligible to use Form S-3 or such other short-form registration statement form under the Securities

Act, the Company may, upon thirty (30) Business Days prior written notice to all Holders, register any Registrable Shares registered but not yet distributed under the effective Shelf Registration Statement on such a short-form Shelf Registration Statement and, once the short-form Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective, de-register such shares under the previous Registration Statement or transfer the filing fees from the previous Registration Statement (such transfer pursuant to Rule 457, if applicable) unless any Holder registered under the initial Shelf Registration Statement notifies the Company within twenty (20) Business Days of receipt of the Company notice that such a registration under a new Registration Statement and de-registration of the initial Shelf Registration Statement would interfere with its distribution of Registrable Shares already in progress;

(ii) subject to Section 4(a)(ix) hereof, (1) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to each such Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the period described in Section 4(a)(i) hereof; (2) cause each Prospectus contained therein to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 or any similar rule that may be adopted under the Securities Act; (3) amend or supplement each such Registration Statement to include the Company’s quarterly and annual financial information and other material developments (until the Company is eligible to incorporate such information by reference into the Registration Statement), during which time sales of the Registrable Shares under the Registration Statement will be suspended until such amendment or supplement is filed and effective, and (4) comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by each Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the selling Holders thereof;

(iii) furnish to the Holders, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, including each preliminary Prospectus, if any, and any amendment or supplement thereto and such other documents as such Holder may reasonably request, in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Shares; the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus, including each preliminary Prospectus, by the Holders, if any, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Shares covered by any such Prospectus;

(iv) use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify, or obtain exemption from registration or qualification for, all Registrable Shares by the time the applicable Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as FBR or any Holder of Registrable Shares covered by a Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing, keep each such registration or qualification or exemption effective during the period such Registration Statement is required to be kept effective pursuant to Section 4(a)(i) and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Holder to consummate the disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Registrable Shares owned by such Holder; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (1) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction or to register as a broker or dealer in such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 4(a)(iv) and except as may be required by the Securities Act, (2) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (3) submit to the general service of process in any such jurisdiction;

(v) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Shares covered by such Registration Statement to be registered and approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the Holders thereof to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Shares;

(vi) notify FBR and each Holder promptly and, if requested by FBR or any Holder, confirm such advice in writing (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective and when any post-effective amendments and supplements thereto become effective, (2) of the issuance by the Commission or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (3) of any request by the Commission or any other federal, state or foreign governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or related Prospectus or for additional information, (4) of the happening of any event during the period a Registration Statement is effective as a result of which such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (which notice may be in the form of a Suspension Notice under Section 5(b) hereof) and (5) at the request of any such Holder, promptly to furnish to such Holder a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such Prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchaser of such securities, such Prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(vii) except as provided in Section 5, use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or if issued, to obtain the withdrawal of, any order enjoining or suspending the use or effectiveness of a Registration Statement or suspending of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Shares for sale in any jurisdiction, as promptly as reasonably practicable;

(viii) upon written request, furnish to each requesting Holder of Registrable Shares, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or supplement thereto (without documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested);

(ix) except as provided in Section 5, upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 4(a)(vi)(4) hereof, use its commercially reasonable efforts to promptly prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the Registrable Shares, such Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(x) if requested by the representative of the underwriters, if any, or any Holders of Registrable Shares being sold in connection with such offering, (1) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the representative of the underwriters, if any, or such Holders indicate relates to them or that they

reasonably request be included therein and (2) make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;

(xi) in the case of an Underwritten Offering, use its commercially reasonable efforts to furnish to the underwriters, of: (1) an opinion of counsel for the Company, dated the date of each closing under the underwriting agreement, reasonably satisfactory to the underwriters; and (2) a “comfort” letter, dated the effective date of such Registration Statement and the date of each closing under the underwriting agreement, signed by the independent public accountants who have certified the Company’s financial statements included in such Registration Statement, covering substantially the same matters with respect to such Registration Statement (and the Prospectus included therein) and with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in accountants’ letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities and such other financial matters as the underwriters may reasonably request;

(xii) enter into customary agreements (including in the case of an Underwritten Offering, an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all other action in connection therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the distribution of the Registrable Shares included in such Registration Statement and, in the case of an Underwritten Offering, make representations and warranties to the underwriters in such form and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in such underwritten offerings and confirm the same to the extent customary if and when requested;

(xiii) make available for inspection by representatives of the Holders and the representative of any underwriters participating in any disposition pursuant to a Registration Statement and any special counsel or accountants retained by such Holders or underwriters, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representatives, the representative of the underwriters, counsel thereto or accountants in connection with a Registration Statement; provided, however, that such records, documents or information that the Company determines, in good faith, to be confidential and notifies such representatives, representative of the underwriters, counsel thereto or accountants are confidential shall not be disclosed by the representatives, representative of the underwriters, counsel thereto or accountants unless (1) the disclosure of such records, documents or information is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in a Registration Statement or Prospectus, (2) the release of such records, documents or information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction, or (3) such records, documents or information have been generally made available to the public;

(xiv) use its commercially reasonable efforts (including, without limitation, seeking to cure any deficiencies cited by the exchange or market in the Company’s listing or inclusion application) to list or include all Registrable Shares on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market and thereafter maintain the listing on such exchange or market;

(xv) prepare and file in a timely manner all documents and reports required by the Exchange Act and, to the extent the Company’s obligation to file such reports pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act expires prior to the expiration of the effectiveness period of the Registration Statement as required by Section 4(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall register the Registrable Shares under the Exchange Act and maintain such registration through the effectiveness period required by Section 4(a)(i) hereof;

(xvi) provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Shares, not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement;

(xvii) (1) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, (2) make generally available to its stockholders, as soon as reasonably practicable, earnings statements covering at least 12 months that satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 (or any similar rule promulgated under the Securities Act ) thereunder, but in no event later than the earlier of any filing date required for the filing of an annual report on Form 10-K as applicable to the Company or forty-five (45) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company and (3) not file any Registration Statement or Prospectus or amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus to which any Holder of Registrable Shares covered by any Registration Statement shall have reasonably objected on the grounds that such Registration Statement or Prospectus or amendment or supplement does not comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, such Holder having been furnished with a copy thereof at least two (2) Business Days prior to the filing thereof;

(xviii) provide and cause to be maintained a registrar and transfer agent for all Registrable Shares covered by any Registration Statement from and after a date not later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;

(xix) in connection with any sale or transfer of the Registrable Shares (whether or not pursuant to a Registration Statement) that will result in the security being delivered no longer being Registrable Shares, cooperate with the Holders and the representative of the underwriters, if any, to the extent reasonably necessary to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of any certificates representing the Registrable Shares to be sold, which certificates shall not bear any transfer restrictive legends (other than as required by the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws) and to enable such Registrable Shares to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the representative of the underwriters, if any, or the Holders may request at least two (2) Business Days prior to any sale of the Registrable Shares; provided, however, that such Holder has provided the Company with any documents that are reasonably requested by the Company;

(xx) if required under the rules of NASD, in connection with the initial filing of a Shelf Registration Statement and each amendment thereto with the Commission pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, prepare and, within one Business Day of such filing with the Commission, file with the NASD all forms and information required or requested by the NASD in order to obtain written confirmation from the NASD that the NASD does not object to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements (or any deemed underwriting terms and arrangements) (each such written confirmation, a “No Objections Letter”) relating to the

resale of Registrable Shares pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, including, without limitation, information provided to the NASD through its COBRADesk system, and pay all costs, fees and expenses incident to the NASD’s review of the Shelf Registration Statement and the related underwriting terms and arrangements, including, without limitation, all filing fees associated with any filings or submissions to the NASD and the legal expenses, filing fees and other disbursements of FBR and any other NASD member that is the holder of, or is affiliated or associated with an owner of, Registrable Shares included in the Shelf Registration Statement (including in connection with any initial or subsequent member filing); and

(xxi) upon effectiveness of the first Registration Statement filed under this Agreement, the Company will take such actions and make such filings as are necessary to effect the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act simultaneously with or immediately following the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, if the Company files a mandatory Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with Section 2(a) of this Agreement, each Holder desiring to include all or any part of its Registrable Shares in the Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement shall, within twenty (20) Business Days after the date of the notice including a request therefor (the “Questionnaire Deadline”), provide to the Company such information as the Company may reasonably request for use in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement or any Prospectus included therein and in any application to be filed with or under state securities laws (the “Questionnaire”), and which shall cause the Holder to be bound by the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, from and after the date that the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission, the Company shall as promptly as is reasonably practicable take all actions as contemplated by Sections 4(a)(i), (ii), (iii), (vi), (viii), (ix) and (x) so that such Holder delivering the Questionnaire in a timely fashion is named as a selling security holder in the initial Shelf Registration Statement and the related Prospectus in such a manner so as to permit the Holder to deliver such Prospectus to purchasers of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to the extent any Holder desiring to be added to the mandatory Shelf Registration Statement after the effective date of such registration statement shall be required to deliver the Questionnaire to the Company and upon receipt of such Questionnaire, the Company will, as soon as is practicable, amend such registration statement or supplement the prospectus contained therein in accordance with Commission rules and guidance.

(c) The Company may require the Holders to furnish to the Company such information regarding the proposed distribution by such Holder of such Registrable Shares as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing or as shall be required to effect the registration of the Registrable Shares, and no Holder shall be entitled to be named as a selling stockholder in any Registration Statement and no Holder shall be entitled to use the Prospectus forming a part thereof if such Holder does not provide such information to the Company. Each Holder further agrees to furnish promptly to the Company in writing all information required from time to time to make the information previously furnished by such Holder not misleading.

(d) Each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 4(a)(vi)(3) or 4(a)(vi)(4) hereof, such Holder will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Shares pursuant to a Registration

Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus. If so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at the expense of the Company) all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Shares current at the time of receipt of such notice.

5. BLACK-OUT PERIOD

(a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 5 following the effectiveness of a Registration Statement (and the filings with any international, federal or state securities commissions), the Company, by written notice to FBR and the Holders, may direct the Holders to suspend sales of the Registrable Shares pursuant to a Registration Statement for such times as the Company reasonably may determine is necessary and advisable (but in no event for more than an aggregate of ninety (90) days in any rolling twelve (12)-month period commencing on the Closing Date or more than sixty (60) days in any rolling 90-day period, except as a result of a review of any post-effective amendment by the Commission prior to declaring any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement effective, provided the Company has used all commercially reasonable efforts to cause such post-effective amendment to be declared effective), if any of the following events shall occur: (i) the representative of the underwriters of an Underwritten Offering of primary shares by the Company has advised the Company that the sale of Registrable Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s initial public offering; (ii) the majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company shall have determined in good faith that (1) the offer or sale of any Registrable Shares would materially impede, delay or interfere with any proposed financing, offer or sale of securities, acquisition, merger, tender offer, business combination, corporate reorganization, consolidation or other significant transaction involving the Company, (2) after the advice of counsel, the sale of Registrable Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement would require disclosure of non-public material information not otherwise required to be disclosed under applicable law, and (3) either (x) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for preserving the confidentiality of such transaction, (y) disclosure would have a material adverse effect on the Company or the Company’s ability to consummate such transaction, or (z) the proposed transaction renders the Company unable to comply with Commission requirements, in each case under circumstances that would make it impractical or inadvisable to cause the Registration Statement (or such filings) to become effective or to promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement on a post-effective basis, as applicable; or (iii) the majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company shall have determined in good faith, after the advice of counsel, that it is required by law, rule or regulation to supplement the Registration Statement or file a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement in order to incorporate information into the Registration Statement for the purpose of (1) including in the Registration Statement any prospectus required under Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (2) reflecting in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or of the most-recent post-effective amendment) that, individually or in the aggregate, represents a fundamental change in the information set forth therein; or (3) including in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information. Upon the occurrence of any such suspension, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to

become effective or to promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement on a post-effective basis or to take such action as is necessary to make resumed use of the Registration Statement compatible with the Company’s best interests, as applicable, so as to permit the Holders to resume sales of the Registrable Shares as soon as possible.

(b) In the case of an event that causes the Company to suspend the use of a Registration Statement (a “Suspension Event”), the Company shall give written notice (a “Suspension Notice”) to FBR and the Holders to suspend sales of the Registrable Shares and such notice shall state generally the basis for the notice and that such suspension shall continue only for so long as the Suspension Event or its effect is continuing and the Company is using its best efforts and taking all reasonable steps to terminate suspension of the use of the Registration Statement as promptly as possible. The Holders shall not effect any sales of the Registrable Shares pursuant to such Registration Statement (or such filings) at any time after it has received a Suspension Notice from the Company and prior to receipt of an End of Suspension Notice (as defined below). If so directed by the Company, each Holder will deliver to the Company (at the expense of the Company) all copies other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession of the Prospectus covering the Registrable Shares at the time of receipt of the Suspension Notice. The Holders may recommence effecting sales of the Registrable Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement (or such filings) following further notice to such effect (an “End of Suspension Notice”) from the Company, which End of Suspension Notice shall be given by the Company to the Holders and FBR in the manner described above promptly following the conclusion of any Suspension Event and its effect.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, if the Company shall give a Suspension Notice pursuant to this Section 5, the Company agrees that it shall extend the period of time during which the applicable Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from the date of receipt by the Holders of the Suspension Notice to and including the date of receipt by the Holders of the End of Suspension Notice and copies of the supplemented and amended Prospectus necessary to resume sales.

6. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless (i) each Holder of Registrable Shares and any underwriter (as determined in the Securities Act) for such Holder (including, if applicable, FBR), (ii) each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act), any such Person described in clause (i) (any of the Persons referred to in this clause (ii) being hereinafter referred to as a “Controlling Person”), and (iii) the respective officers, directors, partners, members, employees, representatives and agents of any such Person or any Controlling Person (any Person referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) may hereinafter be referred to as a “Purchaser Indemnitee”), to the fullest extent lawful, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, judgments, actions, out-of-pocket expenses, and other liabilities (the “Liabilities”), including without limitation and as incurred, reimbursement of all reasonable costs of investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any claim or action, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to any Purchaser Indemnitee, joint or several, directly or indirectly related to, based upon, arising out of or in

connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished to such Purchaser Indemnitee any amendments or supplements thereto), or any preliminary Prospectus or any other document used to sell the Shares, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such Liabilities arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Purchaser Indemnitee furnished to the Company or any underwriter in writing by such Purchaser Indemnitee expressly for use therein, or (ii) any untrue statement contained in or omission from a preliminary Prospectus if a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented, if the Company shall have furnished to or on behalf of the Holder participating in the distribution relating to the relevant Registration Statement any amendments or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Holder to the Person asserting any such Liabilities who purchased Shares, if such Prospectus (or Prospectus as amended or supplemented) is required by law to be sent or given at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Shares to such Person and the untrue statement contained in or omission from such preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented). The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any claim, proceeding (including any governmental investigation), or litigation of which it shall have become aware in connection with the matters addressed by this Agreement which involves the Company or a Purchaser Indemnitee. The indemnity provided for herein shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Purchaser Indemnitee.

(b) In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Shares is participating, such Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each Person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act and the respective officers, directors, partners, members, employees, representatives and agents of such Person or any Controlling Person to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Purchaser Indemnitee, but only with reference to untrue statements or omissions or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with information relating to such Purchaser Indemnitee furnished to the Company in writing by such Purchaser Indemnitee expressly for use in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto or any preliminary Prospectus. The liability of any Purchaser Indemnitee pursuant to this paragraph shall in no event exceed the net proceeds received by such Purchaser Indemnitee from sales of Registrable Shares giving rise to such obligations.

(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the “Indemnified Party”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “Indemnifying Party”), in writing of the commencement thereof (but the failure to so notify an Indemnifying Party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 6, except to the extent the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by the failure to give notice), and the Indemnifying Party, upon request of the Indemnified Party, shall retain

counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party to represent the Indemnified Party and any others the Indemnifying Party may reasonably designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses actually incurred by such counsel related to such proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in any such proceeding, any Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party, unless (i) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall have mutually agreed in writing to the contrary, (ii) the Indemnifying Party failed within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action to assume the defense and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, (iii) the Indemnifying Party and its counsel do not actively and vigorously pursue the defense of such action or (iv) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties), include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, or any Affiliate of the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been reasonably advised by counsel that, either (x) there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those available to the Indemnifying Party or such Affiliate of the Indemnifying Party or (y) a conflict may exist between such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party or such Affiliate of the Indemnifying Party (in which case the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume nor direct the defense of such action on behalf of such Indemnified Party, it being understood, however, that the Indemnifying Party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel), for all such Indemnified Parties, which firm shall be designated in writing by those Indemnified Parties who sold a majority of the Registrable Shares sold by all such Indemnified Parties and any such separate firm for the Company, the directors, the officers and such control Persons of the Company as shall be designated in writing by the Company). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with such consent or if there is a final non-appealable judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Party agrees to indemnify any Indemnified Party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 6 is for any reason held to be unavailable to an Indemnified Party in respect of any Liabilities referred to therein (other than by reason of the exceptions provided therein) or is insufficient to hold harmless a party indemnified thereunder, then each Indemnifying Party under such paragraphs, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits of the Indemnified Party on the one hand and the Indemnifying Party(ies) on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such Liabilities, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party(ies) and the Indemnified Party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company

on the one hand and any Purchaser Indemnitees on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by such Purchaser Indemnitees and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) The parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if such Indemnified Parties were treated as one entity for such purpose), or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph 6(d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of any Liabilities referred to paragraph 6(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any reasonable legal or other expenses actually incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6, in no event shall a Purchaser Indemnitee be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which proceeds received by such Purchaser Indemnitee from sales of Registrable Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Purchaser Indemnitee has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. For purposes of this Section 6, each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act) FBR or a Holder of Registrable Shares shall have the same rights to contribution as FBR or such Holder, as the case may be, and each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act) the Company, and each officer, director, partner, member, employee, representative and agent of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties, notify each party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify such party or parties shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any obligation it or they may have under this Section 6 or otherwise, except to the extent that any party is materially prejudiced by the failure to give notice. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section ll(f) of the Securities Act), shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

(f) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 6 will be in addition to any liability which the Indemnifying Parties may otherwise have to the Indemnified Parties referred to above. The Purchaser Indemnitees’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 6 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares sold by each of the Purchaser Indemnitees hereunder and not joint.

7. MARKET STAND-OFF AGREEMENT

(a) Each Holder hereby agrees that it shall not, to the extent requested by the Company or an underwriter of securities of the Company, directly or indirectly sell, offer to sell (including without limitation any short sale), grant any option or otherwise transfer or dispose of any Registrable Shares or other shares of Common Stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock of the Company then

owned by such Holder (other than to donees or partners of the Holder who agree to be similarly bound) for a period of sixty (60) days following the effective date of an IPO Registration Statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act; provided, however, that:

(i) the restrictions above shall not apply to Registrable Shares sold pursuant to the IPO Registration Statement;

(ii) all executive officers and directors of the Company then holding shares of Common Stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock of the Company enter into similar agreements;

(iii) the Holders shall be allowed any concession or proportionate release allowed to any officer or director that entered into similar agreements (with such proportion being determined by dividing the number of shares being released with respect to such officer or director by the total number of issued and outstanding shares held by such officer or director); provided, that nothing in this Section 7(a)(iii) shall be construed as a right to proportionate release for the executive officers and directors of the Company upon the expiration of the 90-day period applicable to all Holders other than the executive officers and directors of the Company; and

(iv) this Section 7 shall not be applicable if a Shelf Registration Statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act has been declared effective prior to the filing of an IPO Registration Statement.

(b) In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company shall have the right to place restrictive legends on the certificates representing the securities subject to this Section 7 and to impose stop transfer instructions with respect to the Registrable Shares and such other securities of each Holder (and the securities of every other Person subject to the foregoing restriction) until the end of such period.

8. TERMINATION OF THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATION

The Company shall have no obligation pursuant to this Agreement with respect to any Registrable Shares proposed to be sold by a Holder in a registration pursuant to this Agreement if, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, all such Registrable Shares proposed to be sold by a Holder may be sold in a three-month period without registration under the Securities Act pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

9. LIMITATIONS ON SUBSEQUENT REGISTRATION RIGHTS

From and after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Holders beneficially owning not less than a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Shares (provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 9, Registrable Shares that are owned, directly or indirectly, by an Affiliate of the Company shall not be deemed to be outstanding), enter into any agreement with any holder or prospective holder of any Common Stock of the Company that would allow such holder or prospective holder (a) to include such Common Stock in any Registration Statement filed pursuant to the terms hereof, unless under the terms of such agreement, such holder or prospective holder may include such

securities in any such registration only to the extent that the inclusion of his securities will not reduce the amount of Registrable Shares of the Holders that is included, or (b) to have its Common Stock registered on a registration statement that could be declared effective prior to, or within one hundred eighty (180) days of, the effective date of any Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement (except for an IPO Registration Statement in accordance with Section 2(b)).

10. MISCELLANEOUS

(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement, each Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or, in the case of FBR, in the Purchase/Placement Agreement, or granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. Subject to Section 6, the Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agree that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

(b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, without the written consent of the Company and Holders beneficially owning not less than a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Shares; provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 10(b), Registrable Shares that are owned, directly or indirectly, by an Affiliate or employee of the Company shall not be deemed to be outstanding. No amendment shall be deemed effective unless it applies uniformly to all Holders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to or departure from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of a Holder whose securities are being sold pursuant to a Registration Statement and that does not directly or indirectly affect, impair, limit or compromise the rights of other Holders may be given by such Holder; provided that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.

(c) Notices. All notices and other communications, provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by delivered by facsimile (with receipt confirmed), overnight courier or registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or by telegram:

(i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by the transfer agent and registrar of the Shares to the Company; and

(ii) if to the Company at the offices of the Company at:

Energy Coal Resources, Inc.

0000 Xxxxx Xxx Xxx Xxxx

Xxxxxxx, XX 00000

Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

(facsimile: 606-928-0460)

(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment or assumption, subsequent Holders. The Company agrees that the Holders shall be third party beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder by FBR and the Company, and each Holder shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights hereunder; provided, however, that such Holder fulfills all of its obligations hereunder.

(e) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

(f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

(g) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, AS APPLIED TO CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED WITHIN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY STATE COURT IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE OR ANY FEDERAL COURT SITTING IN DELAWARE IN RESPECT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, AND IRREVOCABLY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT IT MAY EFFECTIVELY DO SO UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF THE VENUE OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT AND ANY CLAIM THAT ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.

(h) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties hereto that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

(i) Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Purchase/Placement Agreement, is intended by the parties hereto as a final expression of their agreement, and is intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein and therein.

(j) Registrable Shares Held by the Company or its Affiliates. Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Shares is required hereunder, Registrable Shares held by the Company or its Affiliates shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.

(k) Adjustment for Stock Splits, etc. Wherever in this Agreement there is a reference to a specific number of shares with respect to any Registrable Shares, then upon the occurrence of any subdivision, combination, or stock dividend of such shares, the specific number of shares with respect to any Registrable Shares so referenced in this Agreement shall automatically be proportionally adjusted to reflect the effect on the outstanding shares of such class or series of stock by such subdivision, combination, or stock dividend.

(l) Survival. This Agreement is intended to survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase/Placement Agreement. The indemnification and contribution obligations under Section 6 of this Agreement shall survive the termination of the Company’s obligations under Section 2 of this Agreement.

(m) Attorneys’ Fees. In any action or proceeding brought to enforce any provision of this Agreement, or where any provision hereof is validly asserted as a defense, the prevailing party, as determined by the court, shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees in addition to any other available remedy.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

	ENERGY COAL RESOURCES, INC.

	By:	/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

	Name:	Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
	Title:	President


	SENTIENT GLOBAL RESOURCES FUND I, L.P.

	By:	/s/ [Signature Illegible]

	Name:	[Name Illegible]
	Title:	Director

	SENTIENT GLOBAL RESOURCES TRUST NO.1

	By:	/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx

	Name:	Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
	Title:	Director


	COLORADO ENERGY INVESTMENTS, LLC

	By:	/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

	Name:	Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
	Title:	President


	FOUNTAIN INVESTMENTS, LLC

	By:	/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

	Name:	Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
	Title:	President


	/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
	Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
	Address:

S-1

	FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, XXXXXX & CO., INC.

	By:	/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx

	Name:	Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
	Title:	Senior Managing Director

S-2

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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

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