September 4, 2025 - What organizers are calling the biggest mine industry event of 2025 keeps taking shape with less than two weeks to go as Mercer County prepares for thousands of attendees and exhibitors.

Around 6,000 visitors are expected when the three-day Bluefield Coal & Mining Show opens Sept. 10 and continues until Friday, Sept. 12. Around 150 exhibitors showcasing their latest products and services will be joining visitors from all 25 of the nation’s coal-producing states at the Brushfork Armory and Convention Center. This year’s show theme is Connecting Buyers and Sellers.

Presented by the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias in partnership with Mining People, the 25th biennial coal exhibition gets underway 8:30 a.m. Sept. 10 at the armory with the Media and Exhibitor Appreciation Breakfast. The morning’s keynote speaker will be Andy Eidson, CEO and Director of Alpha Metallurgical Resources.

“We are thrilled that Mr. Eidson is able to join us and to present his views on the future of the coal industry,” said Jeff Disibbio, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias, which owns and produces the show “This is certainly an exciting start to our event and we look forward very much to provide an unparalleled Bluefield welcome to Andy as well as to the mining folks from all over the country, who will join us.”

While the exhibition focuses on the mining industry, it gives Mercer County a visitor influx in the thousands which boosts the local economy during the show and later when these visitors come back as tourists. Disibbio said exhibitors and buyers seeing the region for the first time often return to ride along the Hatfield-McCoy Trail, visit the Back of the Dragon route in Tazewell County, Va., and visit the state parks and other local venues.

The Mercer County Commission voted recently to provide $5,000 from the county’s hotel/motel tax fund to the coal show.

Commissioner Brian Blankenship said that the coal show brings between $3 million to $4 million worth of economic activity to Mercer County and neighboring Tazewell County, Va.

Exhibitors/sponsors for the upcoming Bluefield Coal & Mining Show include: Irwin Car & Equipment; Jennmar; MST Global; J. H. Fletcher Mining Equipment; Appalachian Power; Mining People; Lusk Disposal Service; Kanawha Stone Company; and CoalZoom.com.

While the show is underway, a Bluefield State University Marketing Department team will be conducting live interviews that will be showcasing exhibitors. These interviews shown throughout the Coal Show and posted on social media platforms.

This year by American Electric Equipment Inc. from Beckley will provide the Power Center to service all exhibitors.

The Bluefield Coal & Mining Show is not open to the public.

For more information email the chamber at info@coctwovirginias.com and/or call the chamber’s office at 304-327-7184.