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According to the Evansville Courier and Press, the 75-worker crew worked more than 1776 days accident-free, a streak that began on January 3, 2008.
Officials from the Kentucky Office of Miner Safety and Licensing and the US Mine Safety and Health Administration were on hand last week at a special recognition dinner for the employees, during which time all received certificates of achievement.
Patriot is part of the company’s Bluegrass complex, with the Freedom underground operation serving as its sister mine.
The company confirmed last month that the entire complex, including both the Patriot mine and its associated Grand Eagle preparation plant, is slated for closure at the end of the year.
Embattled producer Patriot said at the time that reclamation work would continue as the site was restored to meet regulatory requirements.
Patriot filed for Chapter 11 production in July, citing cancelled contracts and plummeting prices.
It is also the subject of a federal class action against Peabody Energy and Arch Coal – filed on behalf of 10,000 retirees and workers whose health care and pension benefits were transferred to Patriot by Peabody and Arch before the Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.
