The company said Friday that underground workers would be getting back to the coal face at Southern’s Black River complex in Bandy. It did not confirm when or exactly how many miners would return.

“In prior callbacks, surface miners affiliated with Virginia operations were offered the opportunity to return to surface mining in Virginia,” officials said.

“This latest series of callbacks extends that same opportunity to underground deep miners.

“Recently, successful contract negotiation with German steel producer Thyssen-Krupp helped enable Southern Coal to engage in these callbacks.”

Black River produces metallurgical coal for steel-making.

Southern, which is owned by coal magnate Jim Justice, called back more than 100 of its workers in late August for its Kentucky and West Virginia operations due to an increase in demand for its coal.

With this newest round of callbacks, the company told the Bristol Herald Courier, all Southern Coal miners in Virginia would have been given an opportunity to return to their posts.

Aside from Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia, the miner also owns mines in Alabama and Tennessee.