RE: Black hole17 Mar 2019 15:55
Zumore this is what Andrew was stating in an RNS 25th Jan
MET Update
MET continues to conduct high grade coal production at the Omega operations in Virginia, U.S.A. As noted in the announcement of 28 November 2018, one high wall mining machine (#81) moved in November to a new location, Kilgore, and bonding and preparation for operations at the new site finished in time for operations at the new location to start before Christmas. In January the mining operation at Kilgore moved from one daily shift to working two shifts of nine hours. Tonnage and quality had been affected in this initial period by some refurbishment of the high wall miner, the development and preparations works being undertaken and the #81 still using the old cutter head while a new resized one was completed which happened yesterday. The new cutter head was fixed yesterday to the machine and, with third party tons, the operation now targets a sales level of 2,200 to 2,300 tons per day from production and third party sales.
Wage costs have been reduced by a reduction in manpower and in overtime as a result of the new shift pattern, from $200,000 per two weeks to $120,000 per two weeks. The Kilgore location is approximately 25 miles closer to the main customer, enabling significant savings in trucking costs and gross margins. MET has reduced Omega's breakeven production level to about 1,000 tons per working day.
The second high wall mining machine (#77) suspended operations several weeks earlier than scheduled as the Mudlick seam became thin, and is preparing to move to a new site, a move which is expected to be implemented shortly. The coincidence of this event with the scheduled move of machine #81 impacted operations during November and December.