The work to get the mine into production will take about a year and represent an investment of approximately $15 million. The A Seam mine will take the place of the Kimberly Run mine that will reach the end of its mine life within a year. The permit for the new mine covers more than 3,100 acres and it is estimated to have a mine life of five to seven years at a production level of 2 million raw tons per year of metallurgical grade coal. The initial operation will employ 30 to 50 miners and in full production, a total of 150 or more will be working there. These positions will be filled mostly by miners transferred from the Kimberly Run operation. Much of the coal will be exported through the ports of Baltimore and Norfolk.
