This was down on the 5.8 million tons produced during the previous September. Consol said this was because of the depletion of mineable reserves at the Meigs 2, Meigs 31, Windsor and Muskingum mines, and the idling of Mahoning Valley and Rend Lake mines.
Depletion had been anticipated when the Meigs, Windsor and Muskingum mines were acquired from American Electric Power Company in July 2001.
Mahoning Valley Mine, idled in June 2002, and Rend Lake Mine, idled in July 2002, remain idle and are being evaluated on a week-to-week basis. These mines were idled as part of a plan to reduce ConsolÂ’s production in 2002. The company expects production for the year to be 7 - 8 million tons lower than its original forecast. Loveridge Mine remains idle.
The Humphrey, Dilworth and Windsor mines are scheduled to close permanently by year's end. Northern Appalachia production totaled 3.8 million tons and includes production from: Bailey, Blacksville #2, Dilworth, Enlow Fork, Humphrey, McElroy, Mine 84, Robinson Run, and Shoemaker.
Central Appalachia production totaled 1.1 million tons, and includes production from: Amonate, Buchanan, Jones Fork, Mill Creek, and VP#8.
Midwest/West production totaled 300,000 tons and includes production from the Cardinal River, Line Creek and Glennies Creek mines, which are joint ventures.
