Gibson County Coal Mine Shutting Down

Peabody Indiana Services LLC announced it's closing its Gibson County coal mine (file photo)

A Gibson County coal mine is shutting down, a move that will impact about 130 jobs. In a notice to the state, Peabody Indiana Services LLC said it intends to shutter its Somerville Mine in October due to "uneconomical business conditions."

Peabody says it intends to offer comparable positions at other Peabody locations to many current employees who will be affected by the closure. The layoffs are expected to being October 4, however the company says a mine reclamation period will begin at that time, meaning some employees may be asked to remain at the mine to complete the reclamation work.

According to the the Courier & Press in Evansville, the mine opened in 2000, supplying about 2 million tons of coal to customers in 2018. The publication says coal mines have been in a tough economic climate for months and the Somerville mine has been operating at a reduced rate this year. 

The affected employees are not represented by a union and do not have bumping rights.