General mine foreman Darrell Shepherd told local newspaper the Harlan Daily Enterprise that the Liggett No. 8 and No. 9 underground operations were closed, though it was not known if the idles were temporary or permanent.

The mines are owned by Southern Coal Group’s Justice Corporation.

The group of 75 learned they did not have jobs upon reporting for work Wednesday.

Virginia-based, privately owned Southern and Justice have so far not released a public statement on the move.

Shepherd told the paper that it closed other operations in surrounding areas as well, including the Wilson No. 1 and No. 2 mines and the 9 Mile 1 mine in Wise County, Virginia.

He said 150 workers had been laid off from those mines, though he did not indicate when the idle went into effect.

The company’s mines in Hazard, Kentucky, and Tennessee also were impacted, Shepherd said.

“I really hope this is temporary because I know people need to work,” he said.

“All of the jobs affected today was due to lack of coal sales.”

One miner told the Enterprise that the furloughs came as a complete surprise. Crews had been working long hours and long weeks prior to Wednesday’s announcement.

“It takes employment to be able to pay the bills and feed the kids,” the unidentified miner said.

“We love our home, but we must look for work elsewhere.

“I have friends and family, good hard-working men, who have been looking for work for a year and they simply can’t find it around here. Please pray for us.”

In January, a group of truck drivers reportedly went on strike against the company claiming they hadn’t been paid more than $US500,000 in compensation for completed work.