Alpha Natural Resources, a Onetime Coal Giant, Files for Bankruptcy Protecton
ByCreditLuke Sharrett for The New York Times
Alpha Natural Resources, once a powerhouse of the American coal industry, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday so it may emerge from the grip of a $3 billion debt at a time when utilities are switching to natural gasand coal prices are plummeting.
Alpha Natural Resources borrowed heavily in 2011 to buy Massey Energy for $7.1 billion, seeking, like many coal companies at the time, to acquire an empire of Appalachian coal mines in the hope that China would be a growth market for exports.
That deal turned out to be a disaster for the company when demand for both steelmaking and power-generating coal declined domestically and in several important international markets in recent years…
Alpha Natural Resources, a Onetime Coal Giant, Files for Bankruptcy Protecton