Canonsburg, Pa.-based Core Natural Resources, Inc. said on Dec. 18 it had resumed longwall operations at its Leer South metallurgical mine in Barbour County, West Virginia.
The longwall system went idle when combustion-related activity was detected in a previously mined area in January. The company said its West Elk longwall mine in Colorado was now producing at consistent levels following a transition period associated with its move to the B-Seam. Core said it expects the Colorado mine will show improved performance in the future.
“On behalf of the entire board and management team, I commend the operations team for making safety their highest priority in the successful recovery, repositioning, and restart of the longwall system,” Jimmy Brock, Core’s chairman and chief executive officer, said. “In addition, we want to again extend our appreciation to federal, state and local regulatory officials for their collaboration and support. Leer South is a highly strategic asset, and we fully expect this world-class operation to execute at a high level in 2026 and beyond. While the issues at Leer South and West Elk adversely affected Core’s performance in 2025, we are looking forward to strong cost improvement and profitability at both these operations going forward.”
The company said its team was successful in recovering the 209 hydraulic shields, face conveyer, shearer, stage loaders, crusher and power system at Leer South, and that the equipment was in good condition despite the prolonged inactivity. Following the repositioning of the longwall system, the operation team permanently seals off the affected area of the mine, eliminating any potential future issues associated with the combustion event.
“The Core operations team has displayed tremendous professionalism, dedication, and – most importantly – the highest commitment to safety throughout this process at Leer South,” George Schuller Jr., Core’s senior vice president and chief operating officer, said. “We expect Leer South to enter 2026 fully ramped and operating efficiently, with an exceptionally strong outlook for operational excellence going forward.”