In a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing the producer said the order from the US Mine Safety and Health Administration was issued on April 10 for a condition at its Wildcat Hills underground mine in Eldorado.
The filing said the order related to high methane levels detected in a specific area of the mine but no specific readings were disclosed.
Peabody said mine management immediately implemented corrective measures and the methane was reduced to an acceptable level.
The drift mine opened in March 2006, accessing the Illinois No 6 seam through a final pit of the company’s Cottage Grove surface mine.
The mine sold 1.5 million tons of coal to electricity generating customers in 2012 and has approximately 27Mt of recoverable reserves remaining.
Wildcat Hills mine consists of two fishtail supersections, with a workforce of approximately 200 employees.
Raw coal is transported by truck to the Willow Lake preparation plant for processing before being shipped primarily by barge down the Ohio River to a variety of industrial and utility plants.
