Earth Protect Blog

Shared from the 3/7/2020 The Denver Post eEdition

— The Associated Press

CASPER » Peabody Energy has laid off 50 temporary workers at a Wyoming coal mine.

Company spokeswoman Charlene Murdock told the Casper Star-Tribune that Thursday’s cuts are in line with Peabody’s practice of matching staffing levels with production need.

The North Antelope Rochelle mine employed 1,242 workers in 2019, according to federal data. Production for the three months ending in December was 21.4 million tons of coal, which is 13% less than over the same period in 2018.

The layoffs came after the Federal Trade Commission blocked a proposed joint venture between Peabody Energy and Arch Coal. The deal would effect several mines — including North Antelope Rochelle and Black Thunder, along with the nearby Caballo, Rawhide and Coal Creek mines.