January 8, 2020 - More than 60 employees of Panther Creek Mining in West Virginia are losing their jobs.

The Kanawha County Commission received a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification for Panther Creek Mining, LLC.

The WARN notice is for operations at 800 Toms Fork Road and 100 Toms Fork Road, Eskdale, which is located in Kanawha County. Panther Creek was part of Lexington, Kentucky-based Blackhawk Mining's purchase of a substantial amount of bankrupt Patriot Coal's assets through a 2015 auction.

Officials said the notice affects 65 employees.

Commission President Kent Carper said the layoffs will impact more than 100 family members in Kanawha County.

"Our coal miners have been the backbone of West Virginia for over a century, risking their lives every time they go to work," Commissioner Ben Salango said. "We must find ways to create new jobs in our area to help support these families and grow our economy."

The layoffs are set to take place in March.