bankruptcy

Lawyers for the company filed a motion in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Jan. 9 asking for extensive investigation.

Hoops declined to comment.

The company also owes $853,986 in an apparent judgment, bankruptcy filings say.

Wyoming officials say Blackjewel hasn't documented payments it says it has made to workers.

Volk questions some of those expenses, including a one-night hotel stay costing $982, and wants them to respond by Dec. 13.

A spokesman for the Navajo Transitional Energy Company says he can't comment because the bond negotiations are active.

Several other major coal producers have filed for bankruptcy protection this year, including Blackjewel Mining in West Virginia and Cloud Peak Energy in Wyoming.

Blackjewel, LLC, filed for Chapter 11 business bankruptcy protection on July 1 and sent hundreds of Belle Ayr and Eagle Butte workers home the same day.

Under the deal, West Virginia-based Blackjewel would sell the Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines in northeast Wyoming to Eagle Specialty Materials, a subsidiary of Alabama-based FM Coal.

The new deal that would transfer the mines from Contura to FM Coal also would need approval from a bankruptcy judge and Contura's board of directors.