Former superintendent Gary Parsons was quoted in the New Republic suggesting workers could be recalled, with the report also citing other local individuals reinforcing this view.

“It's opened back up ... they're hiring people," Parsons said in the report, noting he had not been called back and was planning to take an early retirement.

He also reportedly said he had spoken with others who were working to get re-hired, but did not understand the turnaround.

“I don't know what's going on," he said.

"They said they were going to close the mine down."

Another unidentified former employee was quoted by the New Republic confirming that operations were picking up once again.

“They've called back some hourly folks. They're definitely starting it back up," the individual said, adding that the move to furlough the crews was “all for politics”

“It was just a show of politics to try to scare people, to get votes for [Murray's] candidate ... I felt they were playing politics from day one, and they certainly didn't waste any time starting back up again.”

However, Murray Energy media director Gary Broadbent said what is currently occurring at Redbird West was to the contrary of these reports.

“[Murray subsidiary] OhioAmerican Energy is in the process of performing reclamation work and picking up certain coal remnants,” he said.

“This is work that is required by law and does not represent a reopening of the mine.”

Broadbent confirmed that employment totaled about 42 employees at this time, which was still “a fraction” of the 239 personnel the mine employed at its peak.

“Unfortunately, these 239 jobs are never coming back,” he said.

Broadbent also responded to the New Republic noting that the reclamation work could go on for a few years and that there would be no expansion at the mine.

“We’re drawing down rather than building up,” he said.

“We were at 239 at our peak and now we’re down to skin and bones."

Murray initially announced the closure of the Brilliant, Jefferson County complex in August.

Murray officials did not mince words at the time as to the impetus for the closure.

The actions of US President Barack Obama and his administration, it said, were “the entire reason” every worker at the eastern Ohio complex would become unemployed.

“Mr Obama has already destroyed 83,000 megawatts of coal-fired electricity generation in America,” Murray Energy government affairs vice president Michael T W Carey said.

He noted electricity prices in the recent PJM Interconnection monthly auction were up 800% for 2015-2016 for the same reason.

The Redbird West complex started production in May 2007 and had an estimated life-span of at least a decade at its opening.