Liberty Mine in Warrick County to close, following Alcoa move to buy from other sources

BOONVILLE, Ind. — Mining activity at Liberty Mine in northern Warrick County will end early April, eliminating about 80 jobs.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development was told of the closure in a letter from White Stallion Energy of Evansville. The letter was sent to comply with the Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN).

"The surface operations will close," said the letter, written by Shane Chancellor, senior vice president for operations with White Stallion Energy. "All regular employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to one of our other mine sites."

The Courier & Press left a phone message with Chancellor that hasn't been returned.

The closure of Liberty Mine follows a series of events pertaining to previous plans by Alcoa Warrick Operations to expand coal mining activities there to fuel the restart of three potlines at its aluminum smelter.

Alcoa for months sparred with city officials in Boonville, as well as a coalition of neighbors, about what type of protections would be in place if mining activities at Liberty Mine grew the property's southern fields.

The parties in November said they reached a compromise agreement requiring a 1,000-foot buffer between blasting activities and homes and more seismic monitors in the area. Boonville, as part of the agreement, repealed an ordinance banning mining within three miles of the city limits.

But because of the length of time it took to reach that agreement, Alcoa earlier this month pivoted away from Liberty Mine, saying it would continue to buy coal from other sources to fuel its restarted lines.

"Alcoa Warrick Operations has decided to put on hold a planned expansion at Liberty Mine and instead purchase coal from independently owned mines," Alcoa said in a statement. "This alternative plan will continue to provide a reliable and competitive source of fuel for the Warrick Power Plant while maintaining Liberty Mine’s coal reserves as a viable option for the future."

Coal reserves in areas of Liberty Mine currently in use are nearly exhausted, so with Alcoa's plans to expand to the southern fields now off the table, the mine is closing.

Chancellor's letter to the state places the mine's last day on or about April 5.

Boonville Mayor Charlie Wyatt said he's disappointed by the news.

“It’s terrible that that’s happened," Wyatt said. "I’m saddened by that loss. But we don’t have any control on where Alcoa buys their coal, or how they do it.”

Mark Phillips, attorney for the group of neighbors who wanted additional protections from mining activities, said he was "disappointed and surprised" by news of Liberty Mine's closure.

"The homeowners have never been opposed to mining," Phillips said. "Many have family or friends who are retired from mining, or who were miners themselves."

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