Alpha Natural Resources mine suspends production

Published July 16, 2013 by Robert Powell, III

A subsidiary of Bristol-based Alpha Natural Resources has temporarily suspended coal production at a mine in Pennsylvania.

Cumberland Coal Resources LP stopped production at the underground mine in Greene County, Pa., because of geological problems in the mine’s headgate area.

While employees work to correct the problems, the mine is idle and coal shipments have stopped.

Cumberland’s management does not expect production to resume for at least several weeks. During that time, the mine will have reduced workforce who are key to bringing it back into production.

Alpha Natural Resources is one of the largest coal suppliers in the United States. With mining operations in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Wyoming, Alpha supplies metallurgical coal to the steel industry and thermal coal to generate power on five continents.