Nebraska-based Kiewit Corporation announced today that 45 positions will be cut from its Gillette mine. In 2015, around 218 workers were employed at Buckskin Mine, Kiewit's only in the state.
In a statement, company spokesperson Tom Janssen wrote:
"Unfortunately, the coal market remains extremely challenging. Low natural gas prices, low overall power demand and high coal stockpiles at utility power plants has significantly reduced our customers’ 2016 coal needs."
Between 2012 and 2015, coal production at Buckskin Mine dropped by nearly 25%.
These latest cuts follow mass layoffs in March when both Peabody Energy and Arch Coal, together, fired around 465 workers.