May 21, 2019 - Sunrise Coal is seeking to repermit its long-idled underground Prosperity mine in Pike County, Indiana, most likely to make it easier to sell the mine's workable prep plant to one of several existing and planned deep mines in the area, a state official said Monday.

Sunrise abruptly closed Prosperity five years ago after Hallador acquired the mine, along with two other underground mines, Oaktown Nos. 1 and 2 in Knox County, Indiana, from Vectren Fuels.

Prosperity, however, has remained shuttered, and it appears it will continue to do so, according to Steve Riley, assistant to Indiana Labor commissioner Rick Rubel. Riley told S&P Global Platts that Sunrise has no interest in reopening Prosperity despite the company's ongoing push to boost production. The company has pushed in the sides of the mine, he said.

Sunrise could not be reached for comment.

Riley said Sunrise views the prep plant as potentially attractive to one or more coal producers in the region.

Riley said the Indiana coal industry is having a good year, with six of the state's nine underground mines in production. Only three, Log Creek, Freelandville West and Gold Star, are inactive, he said.