INTERNATIONAL COAL NEWS

Alpha gets trio of hazard orders

ALPHA Natural Resources, new owner of Massey Energy, has been hit with three imminent danger orde...

Donna Schmidt

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In a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing Monday, the newly expanded operator said two of the orders were issued on May 31, the day before the takeover, and the third was issued the day of the acquisition on June 1.

The first was issued by MSHA to Alpha Appalachia Holdings subsidiary Independence Coal and alleged that a mine foreman traveled under a hazardous roof condition at the Justice No. 1 operation.

Crews installed danger signs and cordoned off the area, and the order at the former Massey mine was terminated the same day.

Also on May 31, Martin County Coal received an order for roof conditions at Alpha’s White Cabin No. 9 mine.

This order was also terminated the same day after additional roof support was installed, the area was cordoned off and danger signs were installed.

On June 1, ex-Massey subsidiary Elk Run Coal was issued an imminent danger order for an area of roof at the Roundbottom Powellton deep mine. Federal officials alleged the roof was not properly supported or otherwise controlled.

Danger signs had been erected and the area was already blocked off, but MSHA terminated the order June 2 after the placement of supplemental roof supports.

No injuries were reported as a result of any of the conditions.

Alpha did not release any further public statement on the event.

Imminent danger orders are issued by MSHA under section 107(a) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, also known as the Mine Act.

Section 1503 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumer Protection Act, amended last July, now requires disclosure of all imminent danger incidents as part of new reporting requirements regarding mine safety.

Post-merger, Alpha controls about five billion tons of reserves in central and northern Appalachia, the Illinois Basin and the Powder River Basin and is the second largest reserve holder in the nation.

Alpha’s met coal reserve base is now among the world’s largest and highest quality, with diversified assets including about 150 coal mines and 40 preparation facilities.

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