Bluestone Coal has announced that it is reopening an underground met coal mine (No. 59) in West Virginia in July.
Bluestone’s production of low-vol and mid-vol met coal is expected to increase from 2 million st today to 3.3 million st annually. Bluestone presently sells 30 percent of production domestically and 70 percent to the export markets.
Bluestone has four active mines in West Virginia: Red Fox, 39A, No. 58 and No. 57. Mine No. 59 is expected to be a low-vol site. According to the CEO Jay Justice, the company is hiring 250 employees state-wide.
Affiliates of the company have also announced plans to reopen three idled thermal coal mines in eastern Kentucky.