Arch spokeswoman Kim Link said Tuesday the Taylor County mine, which initiated production in late 2011, was making steady progress. It has received all of its many mining equipment deliveries, including more than 200 shields.

Link said the longwall system operation would begin ahead of the October scheduled start.

Leer, which has 360 employees performing development with two continuous miner sections, may potentially ramp up to as many as 375 workers this autumn.

Link said that would depend on staffing needs.

The mine’s high-vol A coal quality is PCI-grade, a key steelmaking element. At prime production, the mine will work to produce about 3.5 million tons of coal annually.

Leer’s loadout was completed last October after an 18-month construction phase.

The first CSX loaded train left the mine October 23, headed for Dominion Terminal Associates in Newport News, Virginia, where it was loaded to a seaborne vessel for export to Europe.

Leer was initially named Tygart Valley when owned by International Coal Group, a producer Arch acquired in 2011. It was renamed in April 2012 in honor of former Arch chief executive officer Steven Leer.