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“Site preparation has begun at the Viper mine for construction of a new mine shaft [and] completion is expected in 2010,” revealed ICG spokesman Ira Gamm.
In addition to increasing efficiency, production capacity for the operation will also jump to 2.9 million tons per annum – well ahead of the 2.1Mt it produced in 2007.
“The project when completed would add 18 jobs to the current 260-person workforce,” Gamm confirmed.
The shaft will be the mine’s third.
Viper, a room and pillar operation, mines from the Illinois No. 5 seam, also known as the Springfield seam. Its total reserve base is an estimated 40.3Mt.
ICG’s mines are located in West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland and the Illinois Basin and include Eastern, Hazard, Flint Ridge, Knott County, Raven East Kentucky, Beckley, Vindex Energy, Patriot, Wolf Run, Sentinel, Sycamore Group and Illinois.
As of December 31, 2007, the company owned or controlled an estimated 316Mt of metallurgical-quality reserves and approximately 649Mt of steam reserves.
