Patriot Coal Corp.'s bankruptcy may leave competing U.S. mining companies Peabody Energy Corp. and Arch Coal Inc. liable for expenses related to Patriot operations they once owned, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. Peabody, the largest U.S. coal producer ranked by sales, may be responsible for liabilities for the treatment of black lung disease that were assumed by Patriot when it was spun off from Peabody in 2007, according to a February filing. Peabody may be responsible for the liabilities, which are expected to be less than $150 million, should Patriot be unable to fund them, according to the filing. Arch, the fourth-biggest producer, may have to cover contracts from Patriot unit Magnum Coal Co., according to Arch filings.
