In a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing late last week, the company said the agreements with four of those families have been approved by state courts in West Virginia.

Five families have filed wrongful death lawsuits against the company since April 5, 2010, when an explosion rocked the Raleigh County underground mine.

Massey announced in January that it would be acquired by Alpha Natural Resources. The deal is expected to close the same day as the settlement offer is reportedly set to expire, June 1.

While the company has not made public comment on the move, a US Mine Safety and Health Administration spokesperson confirmed to ILN earlier this week that Massey officials are meeting this week with the agency to discuss plans to permanently seal the UBB mine.

MSHA’s Amy Louviere said Massey is seeking to seal the entire mine.

Other interested parties such as the United Mine Workers of America union or state officials may also be included in the meeting, and a UMWA spokesperson reportedly told the Associated Press it planned to attend in its miner representative capacity.

However, any plan to seal the mine might face other challenges as legal action continues against Massey over the mining disaster last year which claimed 29 lives.

Federal, state, company and independent investigations into the April 2010 blast are still ongoing.

MSHA has planned a gathering at its Academy campus in Beaver, West Virginia, on June 29 to brief the public on its findings.