ENVIRONMENT

Overland conveyor collapses at Consol complex

OFFICIALS have confirmed operations and export shipments could be impacted by the failure of a newly installed overland conveyor system at Consol’s Bailey preparation plant in Pennsylvania, which serves the company’s high-production Bailey and Enlow Fork longwall mines.

Donna Schmidt
Overland conveyor collapses at Consol complex

No one was injured in the structural failure of two belts, which officials said occurred over the weekend.

The system was installed at the complex to move coal from both mines to the preparation facility for processing.

“Consol Energy is conducting a thorough assessment, although initial indications are that coal from the Bailey and Enlow Fork mines could be fully impacted for the next two weeks,” the company said.

“If, at that time, one of the two collapsed belts is returned to service, the mines could operate at an estimated 60 per cent of capacity.”

While the producer said it did not expect domestic sales to be curtailed, as its other northern Appalachian mines were operating normally, its overseas shipments into the spot market could be effected.

An ILN request for more details about the cause of the failure and timeline for repair was not returned Monday afternoon.

Both Enlow Fork and Bailey, which extract steam coal from the prolific Pittsburgh 8 seam, consistently rank among the top producing mines in the US.

Enlow Fork totaled 10.2 million tons of output last year, and Bailey produced 10.6Mt.

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