Patriot Coal announced plans Wednesday
to lay off miners at two large operations in Boone County
Patriot issued 60-day WARN Act notices
for its Wells mining complex near Wharton and its Corridor G mining complex
near Danville
“What our WARN notice specifies is that
we believe that at least 50 people are likely to be laid off (or) furloughed at
each of those locations,” Patriot president and CEO Ben Hatfield said Wednesday.
Hatfield said the metallurgical and
thermal coal markets continue to be challenging. There are nearly 850 workers
at the two complexes but Hatfield said it would be “highly unlikely” that
everyone would lose their jobs. He said for now it would probably be at least
100.
The Wells complex, which employs 450
workers, includes the Black Stallion Mine, CC10 Mine and Wells preparation
plant. The Corridor G complex has 450 workers and includes the Hobet 21 Mine
and Beth Station preparation plant.
Hatfield said he can see metallurgical coal
making a comeback by 2015 with slow recovery but there are more tough days
ahead for thermal coal because of EPA regulations.
Hatfield said he knows how much the
residents of the southern coalfields and their communities depend on the coal
industry.
