Since market conditions have improved, Bluestone Resources said it will reopen the Pinnacle Preparation Plant in Wyoming County, West Virginia, and rehire many of the impacted workers. Earlier this month, 12 miners at the plant were told the plant was being idled and they would be laid off. The company said the closing was due to a drop in the metallurgical coal market.
“Since the recent temporary shutdown — brought on by a drop in the metallurgical coal market — we have been working around the clock to find a solution that would get our workers back on the job,” Jay Justice, son of Gov. Jim Justice. “Our hard-working employees are the lifeblood of our company and our state, and anytime there are layoffs, even temporarily, we know the pain and stress that causes a person and their loved ones. It’s something that we take extremely seriously. That’s why I’m happy to report we are in a position to reopen the plant and get our folks back to work.”
The company said it remains committed to weathering the economic challenges facing the coal industry and focusing on its employees.
