Navajo Nation starts talks to purchase coal mine in New Mexico

Wednesday, January 9, 2013  

The Navajo Nation is in talks to buy a coal mine on the New Mexico portion of the reservation.

BHP Billiton operates the Navajo Mine on land it leases from the tribe. The facility employs around 433 people, about 85 percent of whom are Native American.

The Navajo Mine's sole customer is the Four Corners Power Plant, owned by the Arizona Public Service Co. The plant is scaling back operations in response to concerns from the Environmental Protection Agency.

As part of the slowdown, BHP plans to eliminate about 100 jobs, mainly through buyouts of retirement-age employees. The cuts will take place prior to any sale of the mine to the tribe, The Farmington Daily Times reported.

"The Navajo Nation is in a position to acquire a coal mine, which is part of my vision for the Navajo Nation," President Ben Shelly said in a press release.

Get the Story:
Job cuts expected at Navajo Mine (The Farmington Daily Times 1/9)
Tribe investigates buying coal company (The Navajo Times 12/20)