CABIN CREEK, W.Va. — Patriot Coal has closed two mining operations in Kanawha County for three to four weeks because of weak demand for coal and the February train derailment in Fayette County.
The company announced Monday the Samples surface mine and the Winchester underground mine, both part of the company’s Paint Creek operations, were temporarily idled Sunday.
Patriot said there are large stockpiles at both operations near Cabin Creek for a variety of reasons including a weak market for thermal coal, EPA regulations that have caused the closure of coal-fired power plants, the low-cost of natural gas and the reduction of exports.
The company said the stockpiles were also impacted by the four-day shutdown of rail service last month when an oil tanker train derailed near Montgomery in Fayette County.
Patriot plans to continue to make coal shipments during the period the operations are idled to reduce the stockpiles.
The company said the weak thermal coal market has forced production unit shutdowns at the Samples surface mine and 35 jobs were eliminated.
The Paint Creek Complex has approximately 400 workers.