Officials said the facility in Greenbrier County, six months in the making, was completed on time and on budget.

“We are extremely satisfied and proud today as we watched our vision to become a significant player in the metallurgical coal market come full circle from the concept stage to design, construction and now to the ultimate fulfillment of our first order,” Xinergy president Bernie Mason said.

“Our first shipment this week was a monumental event for this company. The efficiency of execution was exactly what we had planned for.”

The Clearco wash plant and loadout at South Fork commenced operations in July. Officials said at the time that South Fork’s premium quality mid-vol coking coal operations are anticipated to produce at an average 50,000 tons per month during the second half of this year, or about half of the complex’s anticipated productive capacity.

South Fork, which extracts from the Sewell seam, is the only mine in production by the Tennessee-headquartered producer, which went public in December 2009.

According to the company, South Fork’s coal has 26% volatility, sulfur and ash content of 0.94% and 4.5%, respectively, and is 14,500 British thermal units.

Xinergy completed the sale of its Straight Creek and Red Bird thermal mines in Kentucky in February 2013 to affiliates of JW Resources.

Officials said the $47.2 million deal was a strategic move to allow it to “focus on its strategy of building out a high-quality, metallurgical coal portfolio”