Date: 07-15-2015
The Mountain Eagle
Coal producer Alpha Natural Resources Inc. is expected to sell its mining operations in the Cumberland River area of Letcher County to Revelation Energy LLC, a West Virginia company.
Alpha last week told 292 workers in Kentucky and Virginia that it “may sell substantially all of the assets of the mining operations where these employees work.”
Alpha gave the notice to workers at six mines, including North Fork Coal Corporation’s No. 6 and No. 7 deep mines in Letcher County.
Revelation Mining officials have been seen touring the North Fork mines, where a total of 111 employees now work or perform maintenance operations. Also for sale are the Panther No. 1 and Stillhouse No. 1 mines which are now idled.
The biggest impact of the layoffs would be felt in Virginia’s Wise County, where more than 180 workers may be laid off at two mines and two support operations. Mill Branch Coal Corporation’s Dorchester and Osaka deep mines in Wise County have 134 employees. The Pigeon Creek Processing Corporation’s Plant No.1 in Wise County has 31 employees, while 16 employees work at Maxxim Shared Services.
Alpha Executive Vice President of Mining Operations Keith Hainer said, “This action is consistent with steps Alpha Natural Resources has taken in the past to build a sustainable portfolio of mining assets across the company’s operational footprint.”
