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by Taboola
M-Class Release
Tyner Arrest
Mercedes Benz expansion
11/26 Trent Richardson
New coal mine could create 500 jobs
By Patrick Rupinski
Staff Writer
Published: Friday, December 9, 2011 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 11:18 p.m.
A major industrial development whose economic impact could rival Mercedes-Benz could get under way next year in Tuscaloosa County.
The development revolves around a new underground coal mine in northern Tuscaloosa County that would be built by Walter Energy, the parent company of Jim Walter Resources.
Discussions that have been held with state and local officials indicate the project could involve an investment topping $1 billion and the creation of 500 new jobs, plus additional jobs for the construction industry during the building of a deep underground mine.
Walter Energy's third quarter financial report hinted that construction of the new mine might be close at hand.
In discussing its outlook and strategic initiatives, the quarterly report said:
“On May 6, 2011, we acquired mineral rights for approximately 68 million tons of recoverable Blue Creek metallurgical coal reserves to the northwest of our existing Alabama mines from a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation. The mineral leases are expected to form the core of what is a planned new underground metallurgical coal mine. In addition, we acquired Chevron Corporation's existing North River thermal coal mine in Fayette and Tuscaloosa counties.”
Tuscaloosa County officials have said publicly in recent months that a major project that would create 500 high-paying jobs was in the works, and Gov. Robert Bentley hinted during a recent visit to the expanding Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance that he expected another major job-creating announcement for the area in the near future. But neither Bentley nor the county officials specifically named the development.
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