Spokesman Steve Hawkins told Coal Age that there are 17 individuals who will remain at the McDowell County mine to remove equipment and officially close its doors.
Alpha, which cited the oversupply of low-vol met coal and price drops for the idling, previously cut 23 miners from the Cucumber payroll in July.
Annual production at the mine was 400,000 tons in 2010; year-to-date 2014, the operation has produced 190,000 tons.
Hawkins said all other Brooks Run South Mining operations at the complex near Welch are still active and are not impacted by the idling and furloughs.
