March 2, 2009 (FinancialWire) -- Consol Energy (NYSE: CNX) said it would idle coal production at its Buchanan Mine near Mavisdale, Virginia beginning March 1 for at least one month. The mine is operated by the firm's Consolidation Coal Co. subsidiary. It is being idled primarily due to market conditions, according to Consol.

According to Consol, the idle period will allow the mine to balance coal production with expected customer shipping schedules to prevent coal inventories at the mine from increasing.

In January, Consol Energy said that 2009 production of metallurgical coal from the Buchanan Mine was expected to be around 3.1 million tons, which is less than the mine's current capacity, based on expected sales.

At that level of production, the company said it expected the mine to run the longwall mining system for two, rather than three, shifts per day, and to take short, irregularly scheduled, idle periods to match production output with customer shipping schedules, thereby minimizing a build-up of coal inventories.

During the idle period, company officials will also evaluate mine water disposal issues raised by a recent court ruling that water which naturally accumulates in the Buchanan Mine may not be deposited in the voids of the nearby VP 3 Mine. If that ruling remains in effect, and if other alternatives for the disposal of water are not available, then Consol Energy said it may be forced to further idle the Buchanan Mine.

The mine's production target for the year is 3.1 million tons. The target for annual natural gas production, some of which is produced in association with mining activity, remains at 85 billion cubic feet. Natural gas production is conducted by CNX Gas, a majority-owned subsidiary of Consol Energy.

Pittsburgh-based Consol Energy has seventeen bituminous coal mining complexes in six states and reports proven and probable coal reserves of 4.5 billion tons. CNX Gas is a natural gas exploration and production company.

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