According to local media, the mine began cutting coal in August but held an official ribbon cutting late last week, attended by local and state representatives.

The $US270 million, 600-worker complex is still ramping up and is expected to hit prime production levels by the middle of next year.

Local media noted that 160 workers were currently on staff, while 80 people were being trained and 120 others would be transferred from other ARLP Illinois Basin mines.

Within the next six months, according to WTVW, at least another 200 people will be hired to work at River View. Expected daily output will average 40,000 tons when it hits full production and staffing by July next year.

ARLP said last April that its managing general partner had approved the opening of the 6.4 million tons per annum operation, which contains 117.1Mt of high-sulfur reserves in the Kentucky No. 7, No. 9 and No. 11 seams.

River View was initially designed to be a four-unit operator, but will now work a total of eight continuous miners – a response, the company said last year, to continued Illinois Basin coal demand.