The project was a few years in the making, with excavation and other development taking off in late 2005. Initial development mining started in May of this year in preparation for the start two months later.
The mine will extract from the Upper Powellton seam and officials note that it expects 100% full pillar extraction from Allen Powellton. Mining began with just 40 workers, but growth is inevitable given its anticipated 350,000tpa estimates for 2008.
Much like other Massey holdings, the operation will supply customers with high-quality, high-vol, high-reflectance metallurgical coal. Officials said that some of its existing fleet will be used to perform mining at the new outfit, and the planned line-up for Allen Powellton includes two Joy 14CM15 miners, three Joy 21SC shuttle cars, a pair of Fletcher RRII bolters, three Fairchild 35-C scoops and a Stamler feeder breaker.
