Montana Coal Mine Furloughs Workers Amid Diminished Demand

CASPER, Wyo. (Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune) — Another Powder River Basin coal mine has reduced its work force in response to weak market conditions.

Decker Coal Company furloughed 98 miners Friday, sending them home until May 26.

The Decker coal mine is in southern Montana, just north of the Wyoming line.

The company says the mine’s domestic customers stopped accepting shipments recently.

Nearly 400 coal miners in the Powder River Basin have been laid off as less electricity use during the coronavirus pandemic diminishes demand for coal-fired power.

The Decker mine produced over 1 million tons of coal and employed 164 workers in the first quarter of 2020.