According to a report from Reuters, Patriot Coal Corp. has halted production at its Rivers Edge metallurgical mine in West Virginia due to flooding in a sealed, mined-out area.
An employee at its Rivers Edge mine discovered excess water behind two seals on March 7, which prompted the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to issue an imminent danger order, the St. Louis, Missouri-based firm said in a regulatory filing.
Patriot said the flooding, which followed heavy rain, led to an evacuation of the mine.
The company, which controls about 1.8 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves, expects production at the affected mine to resume early next week and intends to contest the MSHA order.
