On 9/3/2013 2:42 PM, Andrew Liebhold wrote:
Here's a new article about the Longview / Mepco bankruptcy. Perhaps the only new interesting thing here is that one of the possible outcomes is the sale of business. Of course, I figured that First Reserve has been hoping to find a buyer for sometime but hasn't been able to because of all their problems with the plant... -Sandy
Thanks Sandy. Drove past 4 West yesterday and made some observations. You can tell Sewickly seam coal just by looking, and there is some lower quality coal mixed in, in the pile. Patriot does this at its Route 100 coal yard, mixes in crap coal with the good stuff, and sells it to Allegheny Energy. 4 West has two belt systems: internal, to bring coal to the surface, and the long haul overland belt. The overland belt requires a converyor that is stronger and thicker than its underground counterpart. Two months ago, there were a dozen brand-new rolls of beltline in ther yard. Yesterday, there was a large pile of worn-out belt and one and a third rolls of the new. Yesterday's spot price for belt was $10-$100 per meter, depending upon ply (thickness), for the cheap, no-name product. Name-brand belt, up to MSHA specs costs a bit more. That damned Cat dozer, the one they tore up Dunkard Creek with, is still on site. Some creditor needs to repo this thing!
Julieann