Layoffs announced at seven mines in southern West Virginia

Greenbrier Minerals has announced the layoffs of 530 employees at operations in Lorado, Cyclone and Davin will start on April 14th,

Robert Fields | WVOW News

LORADO Greenbrier Minerals, LLC, issued a 60-day notice on Friday that it will idle seven mining operations in the coalfields.

Greenbrier Minerals, a subsidiary of Coronado Global Resources, says the move will result in the layoffs of 530 employees starting on April 14^th. The terminations are expected to be permanent, and the company says there are no bumping rights in this case, meaning even senior positions are on the permanent chopping block.

Operations will be entirely idled at Toney Fork Surface Mine, Elk Lick Loadout, Powellton No. 1 Mine, Saunders Prep Plant and Eagle No. 1 Mine, all in Lorado, as well as the Lower War Eagle No. 1 Mine in Cyclone and the Muddy Bridge Mine in Davin.

Additionally, the company says it’s planning administrative layoffs at its Rich Creek/Lyburn Office.

The announcement marks one of the largest layoffs in the coalfields in recent years. It also comes just days after Mettiki Coal announced it plans to terminate operations on April 1^st at a Tucker County mine. That reduction will cost 200 workers their jobs.

The layoffs were also announced in the same week that President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to purchase electricity from coal-fired power plants and announced millions of dollars to be dedicated to upgrading and prolonging the lives of existing facilities.

Greenbrier Minerals cited "current adverse market conditions," as the motivating factor behind the layoffs.

PHOTO | File