
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — Competition is tight for new contract mining jobs opening up in Colorado’s North Fork Valley.
The Daily Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1jkw4pj ) reported Wednesday that about 250 people have applied for 50 jobs in Arch Coal’s West Elk Mine near Somerset. Kaydee Bartlett of GMS Mine Repair & Maintenance, which is doing the hiring, says that “quite a few” of those applying are miners who worked at Oxbow’s Elk Creek Mine in Somerset.
The mine was forced to shut down late last year because of continuing problems from a mine fire there in December 2012.
Arch Coal CEO John Eaves recently said that the West Elk mine is benefiting from a demand for domestic coal in power generation. The mine is operating below capacity but is production is up over recent months.
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Information from: The Daily Sentinel, http://www.gjsentinel.com



