Blankenship is charged with violating mine safety standards at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia where an explosion on April 5 2010 killed 29 mines. He could face up to 31 years in prison.

The former coal chief’s defence team had argued for the trial to be moved, saying southern West Virginia had been saturated with negative coverage on the mine disaster and therefore he could not get a fair trial.

They wanted the trial moved to Martinsburg or northern Maryland.

However, the judge disagreed so on October 1 the trial will start in Charleston.

For some time it looked like Blankenship had escaped prosecution. Four former Massey workers have been convicted in the investigation. However, Blankenship was indicted in November.

According to reports at least two of the four convicted former Massey employees are expected to take the stand.

The indictment claimed Blankenship personally led a conspiracy that sought to cover up mine safety violations and interfere with federal enforcement activity by providing advance warning of government safety and compliance inspections.

“Following a major, fatal explosion at UBB on April 5 2010, Blankenship made, and caused to be made, materially false and misleading statements and representations and omitted and caused to be omitted statements of material facts, regarding his and Massey’s practice of wilful violations of safety laws at the mine,” the indictment reads.

“These include materially false statements and representations made to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and materially false statements and representations, and materially misleading omissions, made in connection with the purchase and sale of Massey stock.

The Upper Big Branch disaster is considered the worst mine disaster in a generation.