The Rhino Eastern complex in Raleigh and Wyoming counties had an estimated 43.9 million tons of reserves in Raleigh and Wyoming counties at the end of 2013. Patriot gets certain fixed assets, leased equipment and reserves related to the Eagle No. 3 underground mine, which produced 207,524 tons in 2014, federal Mine Safety and Health Administration figures show.
St. Louis-based Patriot also agreed to assume substantially all of the approximately 35-person active work force at Eagle that previously was employed by Rhino Eastern, according to a filing by Lexington, Kentucky-based Rhino in January with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.
Raw coal is trucked from Eagle, near Wharton in Wyoming County, to a prep plant owned by Patriot where it is sized, washed and shipped by truck or one of two rail loadouts located on the CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern railroads.
The transaction was scheduled to close at the end of January.
Rhino had held a 51% interest in the partnership to 49% by Patriot. The companies gave no public reason for ending the partnership.
