The mine was idled due to weak thermal coal markets in late March only to re-open on a “partial” basis on June 8.

Murray has since revealed it recalled 262 workers on an hourly basis to run the mine.

Unlike salaried employees, hourly employees in the US are not guaranteed to receive any number of hours to work each week. There are typically pay and benefits differences between full-time hourly employees and those who work part-time too.

Murray had previously flagged its aim to hit full operating status at the mine by August 12 but with “fewer employees” than back in March.

“We hope to soon achieve full production and employment at the Monongalia County Mine,” the coal producer’s chairman, president and CEO Robert Murray said earlier this month.

“We are pleased to get our families back to work.”

Murray is one of the few coal companies to point the finger at the US President.

“The Monongalia County Mine had been idled since March 31 2015 due to a lack of coal markets resulting from the increased use of natural gas to generate electricity, the ongoing destruction of the US coal industry by the administration of President Barack Obama, actions against coal mining by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Sierra Club, and the excessive coal severance tax in the State of West Virginia,” Murray said.

“While these problems still persist, Monongalia County has been able to bring back a smaller number of employees on a partial production basis.”