Foundation Coal Idling 3 WVa mines

Mine operator Foundation Coal Holdings said Friday it is idling three underground mines in southern West Virginia in the latest sign that the recession is catching up with the industry.

Work at the mines and an associated preparation plant is ceasing immediately, Linthicum Heights, Md.-based Foundation said. The Laurel Creek complex produces about 1 million tons of coal annually, but its high cost structure combined with the slumping coal market and difficult mining conditions make the mines “uneconomic” to operate.


That’s becoming a common refrain across U.S. coalfields these days. Powder River Basin mines in Wyoming and Montana have been scaling back production, while operations in Appalachia have been idling high-cost mines, particularly those that produce metallurgical-grade coal.

AP