SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                SCHEDULE 13D

                 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                             (AMENDMENT NO. 8)



                              Arch Coal, Inc.
                             (Name of Issuer)

                                Common Stock
                       (Title of class of Securities)

                                 039380100
                              (CUSIP Number)

                             David L. Hausrath
                             Vice President and
                              General Counsel
                                Ashland Inc.
                        50 E. RiverCenter Boulevard
                                P.O. Box 391
                          Covington, KY 41012-0391
                               (859) 815-3333
               (Name, address and telephone number of person
             authorized to receive notices and communications)

                             February 22, 2001
          (Date of event which requires filing of this statement)


         If the filing person has previously  filed a statement on Schedule
13G to report the  acquisition  which is the subject of this  Schedule 13D,
and is filing this schedule  because of Rule  13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the
following box |_|.




                                                                Page 2 of 6
CUSIP No.         039380100         13D


1        NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS        Ashland Inc.
         I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS
                  61-0122250

2        CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP     (a)  [  ]
                  N/A                                         (b)  [  ]

3        SEC USE ONLY

4        SOURCE OF FUNDS   00       (See Item 3)

5        CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT
         TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e)     [  ]

6        CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                  Kentucky

       NUMBER OF               7    SOLE VOTING POWER
        SHARES                          0
     BENEFICIALLY
       OWNED BY                8    SHARED VOTING POWER
         EACH                           0
       REPORTING
     PERSON WITH               9    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                        0

                              10    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                        0

11       AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
              0

12       CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
         SHARES     [   ]

13       PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

14       TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
                CO


                                                                Page 3 of 6


                     Securities and Exchange Commission
                           Washington, D.C. 20549
                                Schedule 13D

ITEM 1.  SECURITY AND ISSUER
         Ashland  Inc.  ("Ashland")  currently  does not own any  shares of
common stock ("Common Stock"), par value $.01 per share, of Arch Coal, Inc.
("Arch Coal").
         Arch Coal is a Delaware  corporation with its principal  executive
offices located at City Place One, Suite 300, Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141.

ITEM 2.  IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND
         (a),  (b) and (c)  Ashland  is a  Kentucky  corporation  with  its
principal  executive offices located at 50 E. RiverCenter  Blvd., P. O. Box
391, Covington, Kentucky 41012-0391.  Ashland is a diversified company with
wholly owned operations in distribution, specialty chemicals, motor oil and
car care products, and highway construction.  Ashland also has a 38-percent
equity interest in Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC.
         The  executive   officers  and  directors  of  Ashland  and  their
principal  occupations  are shown on the attached  Schedule I. The business
address of each executive  officer is shown on Schedule I. Each  director's
business  address  is Ashland  Inc.,  c/o  Office of the  Secretary,  50 E.
RiverCenter Boulevard, P. O. Box 391, Covington, KY 41012-0391.
         (d-e) During the last five years,  neither  Ashland nor any of the
persons  listed in Schedule I hereto,  has been (i) convicted in a criminal
proceeding  (excluding traffic violations and similar misdemeanors) or (ii)
a party to a civil  proceeding  of a  judicial  or  administrative  body of
competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject
to a judgment,  decree or final order  enjoining  future  violations of, or
prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, Federal or state securities
laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.
         (f)      Each executive officer and director is a U.S. citizen.

ITEM 3.  SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION
         Not applicable.




                                                                Page 4 of 6


ITEM 4.  PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION
         On  June  22,  1999,  Ashland,  as a  shareholder  of  Arch  Coal,
announced that it had retained the investment banking firm of Goldman Sachs
to help Ashland explore  strategic  alternatives for its investment in Arch
Coal.
         On March 16, 2000, Ashland's board of directors declared a taxable
distribution to its shareholders of approximately  17.4 million of its 22.1
million  shares of Arch Coal  Common  Stock.  On March  27,  2000,  Ashland
distributed  these 17.4  million  shares of Arch Coal  Common  Stock to its
shareholders  of record on March 24,  2000.  Each share of  Ashland  Common
Stock  received  0.246097  shares of Arch Coal Common  Stock.  In addition,
Ashland  shareholders  received $7.1875 per share for any fractional shares
of Arch Coal Common  Stock,  which was  determined  to be the value of Arch
Coal Common Stock on the record date.
     At that time,  Ashland  announced  that it  intended to dispose of its
remaining 4.7 million  shares of Arch Coal Common Stock in a transaction or
transactions  that  qualify as a sale for  federal  income tax  purposes by
March 2001. On September 6, 2000, Arch Coal filed a registration  statement
under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended,  for the sale of 4,756,968
shares of Arch Coal  Common  Stock by  Ashland  in an  underwritten  public
offering.  These shares were sold on February 22, 2001 at a price of $19.00
per share, before underwriter's commission.


ITEM 5.  INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER
I.       ASHLAND
         (a)      Ashland currently does not own any shares of Arch Coal Common
                  Stock.
         (b)      Not applicable.
         (c)      Except as otherwise disclosed herein, neither Ashland nor
                  the persons listed in Item 2 has effected any transaction
                  relating  to Arch Coal  Common  Stock  within the last 60
                  days.
         (d)      Not applicable.
         (e)      On February 22, 2001,  Ashland sold all of its  remaining
                  4,756,968  shares  of Arch  Coal  Common  Stock,  thereby
                  ceasing  to be the  beneficial  owner of more  than  five
                  percent of Arch Coal Common Stock.

II.      EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF ASHLAND
         The  beneficial  ownership  of the  Common  Stock of Arch  Coal of
Ashland's executive officers and directors is listed on Schedule II.





                                                                Page 5 of 6

ITEM 6.  CONTRACTS,  ARRANGEMENTS,  UNDERSTANDINGS  OR  RELATIONSHIPS  WITH
RESPECT TO SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER
         Not applicable.

ITEM 7.  MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS
         None.




                                                                Page 6 of 6


                                 SIGNATURE
         After  reasonable  inquiry  and to the  best of my  knowledge  and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.

                                               February 22, 2001
                                      -----------------------------------------
                                      (Date)

                                      /s/ David L. Hausrath
                                      -----------------------------------------
                                      David L. Hausrath
                                      Vice President and General Counsel





                                 Schedule I

                      DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
                                     OF
                                ASHLAND INC.
                PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONS AND BUSINESS ADDRESSES




    DIRECTORS                                                PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION*
----------------                  ----------------------------------------------------------------

                                   
Samuel C. Butler                      Partner of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Attorneys, New York, New York

Frank C. Carlucci                     Chairman of the Board of The Carlyle Group, Washington, D.C.

Paul W. Chellgren                     Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ashland Inc., Covington, Kentucky

Ernest H. Drew                        Former CEO of Westinghouse Industries and Technology Group

James B. Farley                       Private Investor and Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mutual Life Insurance
                                      Company of New York, New York (now known as The MONY Group)

Ralph E. Gomory                       President of Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, New York, NY

Bernadine P. Healy                    President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross, Washington, D.C.

Mannie L. Jackson                     Majority owner and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Harlem Globetrotters,
                                      International

Patrick F. Noonan                     Chairman of the Board of The Conservation Fund, Arlington, Virginia

Jane C. Pfeiffer                      Management Consultant, Vero Beach, Florida

William L. Rouse, Jr.                 Former Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Security
                                      Corporation

Theodore M. Solso                     Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cummins Inc.


* For business addresses, see Item 2.







EXECUTIVE OFFICERS                       BUSINESS ADDRESS                          PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
------------------                      -----------------------                 ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                          
Paul W. Chellgren                       P. O. Box 391                           Chairman of the Board and
                                        Covington, KY  41012                    Chief Executive Officer

James R. Boyd                           P. O. Box 391                           Senior Vice President
                                        Covington, KY  41012                    and Group Operating Officer

David J. D'Antoni                       P. O. Box 2219                          Senior Vice President
                                        Columbus, OH  43216                     and Group Operating Officer

J. Marvin Quin                          P. O. Box 391                           Senior Vice President
                                        Covington, KY  41012                    and Chief Financial Officer

James J. O'Brien                        P. O. Box 1400                          Senior Vice President;
                                        Lexington, KY 40512                     President, The Valvoline Company

Charles F. Potts                        APAC, Inc.                              Senior Vice President;
                                        3340 Peachtree Rd., NE                  President, APAC, Inc.
                                        Tower Place
                                        Atlanta, GA  30326

Kenneth L. Aulen                        P. O. Box 391                           Administrative Vice
                                        Ashland, KY  41114                      President; Controller

Philip W. Block                         P. O. Box 391                           Administrative Vice
                                        Covington, KY  41012                    President

J. Dan Lacy                             P. O. Box 391                           Vice President
                                        Covington, KY  41012

David L. Hausrath                       P. O. Box 391                           Vice President and
                                        Covington, KY  41012                    General Counsel

Richard P. Thomas                       P. O. Box 391                           Vice President and
                                        Covington, KY  41012                    Secretary

Peter M. Bokach                         P. O. Box 2219                          Vice President;
                                        Columbus, OH  43216                     President of Ashland
                                                                                Distribution Company

James A. Duquin                         P. O. Box 2219                          Vice President;
                                        Columbus, OH  43216                     President of Ashland
                                                                                Specialty Chemical Company

Lamar M. Chambers                       P. O. Box 391                           Auditor
                                        Covington, KY  41012









                                SCHEDULE II
                  Arch Coal Common Stock Transactions* and
           Ownership by Ashland Directors and Executive Officers



       Director of Ashland                          Total Ownership
    -----------------------------------------   ----------------------------
    Samuel C. Butler                                625 direct

    Frank C. Carlucci                               626 direct

    Paul W. Chellgren
    (information included in
     Executive Officer's List)

    Ernest H. Drew                                 1,722 direct

    James B. Farley                                   98 joint with wife
                                                     492 direct

    Ralph E. Gomory                                  246 direct

    Bernadine P. Healy                               917 direct

    Mannie L. Jackson                                492 direct

    Patrick F. Noonan                                492 direct

    Jane C. Pfeiffer                                 694 direct

    William L. Rouse                               1,114 direct

    Theodore M. Solso                                246 direct







*There were no transactions  relating to Arch Coal Common Stock effected by
Ashland Directors and Executive Officers within the last 60 days.






Executive Officer of Ashland                 Total Ownership
-------------------------------           -------------------------------
    Kenneth L. Aulen                          2,547 direct

    Philip W. Block                             500 (1)
                                                900 direct

    Peter M. Bokach                              59 (1)
                                                676 direct

    James R. Boyd                                52 (1)
                                              1,045 joint with wife
                                                 32,647 direct

    Lamar M. Chambers                               731 (1)
                                                    225 direct

    Paul W. Chellgren                            20,402 direct
                                                     39 (1)

    David J. D'Antoni                             1,545 (1)
                                                    123 custodian for son
                                                  1,577 direct

    James A. Duquin                                 456 direct

    David L. Hausrath                               858 (1)

    J. Daniel Lacy                                  962 (1)

    James J. O'Brien                                 61 (1)
                                                    324 direct

    Charles F. Potts                                424 (1)
                                                    331 direct

    J. Marvin Quin                                   24 (1)
                                                  7,071 direct

    Richard P. Thomas                               915 (1)
                                                    386 direct


(1) Shares held in Ashland's Employee Savings Plan as of January 30, 2001.