Navajo company takes over operation of coal mine it owns

A Navajo Nation company is taking over the operation of a coal mine it owns in northwestern New Mexico.

The Navajo Transitional Energy Co. has owned the Navajo Mine near Farmington since 2013 but had contracted with the North American Coal Corp. to run it. The Navajo company will take over Friday. Chief executive Clark Moseley says the company will retain the nearly 400 employees. About 85% of whom are Native American. The Navajo Mine feeds the adjacent Four Corners Power Plant.