Enlow Fork Mine located in Claysville, Pennsylvania started operating in 1989. It is an underground thermal coal mine that uses continuous longwall mining technology. The mine is part of the Pennsylvania Mining Complex (PAMC), owned by Consol Energy Inc. Other mines forming the Pennsylvania Mining Complex (PAMC) operations are the Bailey and Harvey mines.
The Pennsylvania Mining Complex (PAMC) is situated on the Allegheny Plateau whose near-surface geology consists of Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian coal-bearing strata. Industrial mining occurs on the Pittsburgh Seam which is relatively flat-lying and is located at depths of 300 ft to 1,400 ft below ground surface. The Pittsburgh Seam coal is a high-rank, high-volatile bituminous, medium-ash, and medium-to-high-sulfur coal suitable for thermal and metallurgical purposes. The coal occurs in three distinct consistent intervals, the thick “main bench” coal, an overlying “draw slate”, and other “roof coal” zones. The mining process involves the extraction of the lowermost roof coal zone, with the draw slate and main bench coal.
The bottom of the mine where excavation is carried out is well-lit, with concrete floors, emergency supplies, a telephone, and a computer. Walls near the entrance are sprayed with fire-resistant shotcrete. A mining crew includes about 12 miners and members of the fire brigade. The underground miners’ activities involve preparing longwalls for mining, and operating shearers and other equipment for cutting coal from the wall. Miners take eight-hour shifts and haul about 2,000 tons of coal every 3ft. The coal is transported to the surface using underground conveyor belts. At the surface, the coal is sorted and processed. The mine produces about 7.857 metric tons per year. From 2015 to 2019, the mine produced about 11.5 Million tons of clean coal. About 60% of the coal produced is exported overseas. Enlow Fork coal reserves are expected to last up to 2050.
Consol Innovations, a Consol subsidiary is researching new innovative uses of coal rather than power generation. Areas under exploration include aerospace, military, battery storage, building materials, and high-technology applications.
As of 2024, Enlow Fork Mine employs 141 salary employees and 350 hourly employees. Salary employees include engineers, geologists, and technical specialists. About 5% of the miners are women. Miners are exposed to harmful coal dust containing crystalline silica among other toxins. Exposure to coal dust is associated with certain illnesses collectively known as black lung diseases or coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (CWP). These include Progressive Massive Pneumoconiosis (and other types of Pneumoconiosis), Chronic Silicosis (from Silica Exposure), COPD, emphysema, and Asthma.
File a black lung claim
Coal miners who were totally disabled by Black Lung disease and their survivors can file for black lung benefits. These benefits are filed through the US Department of Labor’s (USDOL) Office of Workers Compensation (OWCP) Division of Coal Mine Workers’ Compensation (DCMWC). Black Lung Benefits include monthly payments and medical benefits. Mining companies and insurers pay these benefits, as well as legal fees for the lawyers representing eligible miners whose claims are successful.
Are you or a loved one affected by black lung disease? Did you work as a miner at Enlow Fork Mine? Contact Black lung claimant attorney Hugh Stephens to help you file a claim for benefits or to assist you through the black lung claim process.