Production will begin once again Tuesday, Consol senior vice-president Tom Hoffman told the Associated Press, though it will be September 1 before the mine is back to prime production levels. The ramp-up will also be dependent on economic improvements, he added.

Blacksville’s longwall was idled in June with a restart anticipated for mid-July, but as market demand for high-BTU bituminous product continued to wane, the company opted to keep the shearer shut off.

While he didn’t respond to an ILN request for comment by press time, Hoffman noted to the news wire that the 440,000-ton monthly Blacksville was not yet out of the woods. Circumstances are still considered tentative due to the economy, meaning a future idling of the mine or any of the company’s operations could be possible.

“We need to make sure we don’t get too far out of whack,” he said, adding that the situation is “week to week, month to month”

All workers affected by the June idling were offered other positions within the mine, so no lay-offs were necessary, Hoffman told local media. In fact, many workers took extra time off during the period and the producer offered programs such as optional Friday work days.

The local United Mine Workers of America office was pleased that no miner jobs were affected by the idle.

"Any time you go through an idling without any lay-offs, it's a good thing," UMWA District 31 president Rich Eddy told the AP.

According to company statistics, Blacksville – which extracts from the Pittsburgh 8 seam via longwall and continuous miners – produced 5.1 million tons in 2007. In total, Consol operates 18 active complexes in six states.