Contura winning bidder for Blackjewel's Wyoming mines

GILLETTE — Nearly 600 Blackjewel LLC coal workers in Wyoming and West Virginia may see a monthlong forced layoff end soon after the company has agreed to sell a trio of mines to Contura Energy Inc.

An agreement to sell the company’s flagship Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines in Campbell County, along with the Pax Surface Mine in West Virginia, was one of the notable outcomes of a marathon three-day Chapter 11 bankruptcy auction that began Thursday morning and concluded about 8:45 p.m. Saturday.

After a competitive bidding process, Contura will buy the three mines for $33.75 million cash and assu...