U.S. Mining Industry Spotlight: Developments in West Virginia

As we keep track of developments within the U.S. mining industry, we're the first to admit that situations vary from state to state. News snippets pertaining to mining in West Virginia have been quite a mixed bag lately, offering up both positive and negative developments.

West Virginia Developments:

• "Bankrupt Patriot Coal Picks Blackhawk Mining as Lead Bidder" - When West Virginia-based Patriot declared bankruptcy, the race was on to see who will snap up their assets. Early in June, they announced that they would be teaming up with Blackhawk Mining LLC on a $643 million bid. As of the time of this writing, the deadline for competing offers has not yet passed. Since, in addition, a judge would need to approve the final sale, the question remains open for now.
• "Murray, Alpha Notify West Virginia Coal Miners of Layoffs" - Unfortunately, in late May, 1,417 workers for Murray Energy Corps and 439 from Alpha were laid off from coal mines in West Virginia. According to sources inside, leaders blame competition and tougher regulations contributing to a 10 percent fall in oil prices in the past year.
• "WV Coal Mine Safety Board Adopts New Underground Mining Equipment Rule" - Beginning June 2, all mining equipment operated underground in West Virginia must comply with new safety regulations. The new rules raise standards for who is eligible to operate such equipment, requires more frequent inspections, and calls for more foreman supervision. It is hoped that these new regulations will prevent accidents and ensure a higher level of employee safety.

Whether you're currently working in West Virginia or in any of our other great mining states, remember to check out our full line of OTR tires and contact us for the best deals.

Image credit: "Blackwater-falls-autumn-foliage-scenery - West Virginia - ForestWander" by http://www.ForestWander.com. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 us via Wikimedia Commons

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