mines

Some sites have sat unattended for decades.

There are many lost fortunes in Wyoming

The agreement calls for NTEC to make one payment right away, then monthly for a year.

Officials say part of the agreement was that the Navajo Transitional Energy Company would pay royalties accumulated since May.

Eagle Specialty Materials says the shovels are essential to keeping the mines open and hundreds of miners at work.

Those fees amount to about 1% of the bond total, or about $1 million annually, Harbage said.

Blackjewel attorneys say the companies will seek replacement bonds.

The new deal that would transfer the mines from Contura to FM Coal also would need approval from a bankruptcy judge and Contura's board of directors.

Wyoming Machinery Co., owns a lot of equipment at the mines and it provides monthly about $3 million in maintenance and other services.

Monday, Blackjewel failed to secure $20 million in emergency funding, and then immediately closed the mines and sent more than 600 mine workers home.