Sunrise Coal is scheduled to close on its purchase of Indiana-based Vectren Fuels on August 29, including three underground mines in southwestern Indiana; those include two mines in Oaktown, Indiana, and one in Petersburg, Indiana.
Both Oaktown mines are operated by Black Panther Mining and the Petersburg mine is operated by Five Star Mining, both of which will employ the workforce at Vectren Fuels’ mines.
“Vectren has been informed that while offers of employment following the sale have been extended to more than 670 members of the current workforce at the mines, approximately 120 miners have not been offered employment,” officials said in a statement.
The 120 furloughed have already been released, the company added, and will continue to be paid through the end of August.
Upon the sale’s close, the new owner will also cease its use of contract miners.
