Latest News

Details

November 20, 2013

New plant will use coal to produce key steelmaking ingredient; marks third major jobs announcement this month

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today announced Carbonyx, Inc., a Texas-based company, will invest tens of millions of dollars in a new Jackson County plant, creating at least 60 jobs.  The new plant will use state-of-the-art technology to produce a key ingredient for steelmaking and rely on coal as the main input for its manufacturing process, making it an important new customer for regional coal producers.

"We are excited and honored to welcome Carbonyx to West Virginia," Gov. Tomblin said.  "Carbonyx is a tremendous innovator in the steelmaking business--and they've decided to invest right here in the Mountain State because of our top-notch workforce and winning business climate."

Read more …

Details

November 14, 2013

According to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) weekly production report, year-to-date U.S. metallurgical exports through August 2013 were down 10% as compared to the same period last year (44.8mt v. 49.8mt) and steam coal exports were off by 8.7% (35mt v. 38.4mt). Coal imports were also down 2.4% for the same year-to-date period (5.8mt v. 5.9mt).  West Virginia’s 2013 year-to-date production, through 11/9, was down 2.8% statewide when compared to the same period in 2012 (101.9mt v. 104.9mt), with northern WV production up 2.2% (36.5mt v. 35.7mt) and southern WV was off 5.4% (65.5mt v. 669.2mt). U.S. year-to-date production through 11/9 was down 2.2% (861.6mt v. 878.2mt).  There were 118,274 railroad cars loaded last week.

Details

November 14, 2013

Natural Resource Partners, LP (NRP) presented the 9th Annual Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce Energy & Natural Resources Symposium at the St. Mary’s Center for Education Oct. 12 in Huntington. American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) President Robert M. “Mike” Duncan was the featured speaker at the event, which focused on a serious threat to future of the coal industry – the EPA’s GHG regulations.

Nearly 100 people attended the meeting to discuss what NRP COO Nick Carter says is an attack by the government to put coal companies out of business.

Read more …

Details

November 14, 2013

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is re-opening the rulemaking record for MSHA’s existing rule on Refuge Alternatives for the limited purpose of obtaining comments on the frequency for motor task (hands-on), decision-making, and expectations training for miners to deploy and use refuge alternatives in underground coal mines.

Read more …

Details

November 14, 2013

The last of a series of coal and energy forums around the state will be held from 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 5^th at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown.  The forum is co-sponsored by the WV Coal Forum and the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce, and is designed for industry representatives and local business and policy leaders to discuss the significance of the coal industry and coal exports to north central West Virginia.

Persons interested in attending the forum are requested to register by e-mailing Joel Watts at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..