BRISTOL, Va. — A total of 871 employees of Alpha Natural Resources in southern West Virginia received word Monday they may soon be out of a job.
Alpha officials confirmed they issued a 60-day WARN notice of plans to idle operations at eight deep mines and two processing plants in southern West Virginia.
The idling is planned at the company’s Marfork operations in Raleigh County and Elk Run operations in Boone County.
Five underground mines will be idled in Raleigh County including Brushy Eagle, Slip Ridge Cedar Grove, Horse Creek Eagle, Allen-Powellton, and Coon Cedar Grove. The Marfork Processing facility is also targeted. The employees affected include 468 miners and 40 workers who support the mines.
The Elk Run operations in Boone County to be idled include the Hunter Peerless mine, Seng Creek mine, and Roundbottom Powellton Mine. The WAR notice also extended to the Chess Processing Plant. The Elk Run jobs include 363 miners and a handful of support workers.
None of the workers lost their jobs today, but the WARN notice meant they’ll likely be laid off in the coming weeks. The company blamed market conditions for coal for the idling.