A company spokeswoman said that limited production commenced this week at the Union County complex after being idled since May 6, the result of damage to a portion of the mine’s Camp preparation plant.
“We anticipate that the complex will resume full operation by the end of June,” she added, a plan in line with its May 12 confirmation of the mine’s temporary stoppage.
Patriot has not elaborated on the details of the structural failure.
Highland, which extracts from the Highland No. 9 seam, has a total workforce of 500 and ships about 3.8 million tons per year at full production levels. Mine officials had added additional staff in Q4 2013 to ramp up production for the room-and-pillar operation.
