Consol seeks approval of plan to reopen mine
Consol Energy announced Wednesday it has submitted a plan to state and federal mine safety agencies to prepare to resume production at its Blacksville No. 2 Mine, which has been idled since March following an underground mine fire.
The date the mine will resume production has not been established and is contingent on plan approval, Consol spokeswoman Lynn Seay said in an email update.
The company completed construction Tuesday of the 21 seals that will isolate the area affected by the fire from the rest of the mine. The seals were built in the area of the Kuhntown portal and Orndoff air shaft in Wayne Township.
The seals must set for a time to cure and strengthen as required by the approved construction plan, Seay said. Consol believes this process will be completed within a week.
The fire was discovered March 12 when smoke was detected coming from the Orndoff shaft. All employees were safely evacuated. Mine rescue teams initially entered the mine but withdrew after encountering heat and heavy smoke. Efforts to extinguish the fire were then conducted from the surface.
Numerous boreholes were drilled from the surface to pump water and inject nitrogen underground into the affected area and to monitor the mine atmosphere.
Mine rescue teams were able to re-enter the mine March 27 after it was determined the fire had been extinguished. Work then began underground to seal the affected area.
The mine produces about 400,000 tons of coal a month and employs about 600 workers.