Enthusiasm over China's stimulus talk provided a brief but significant spike to the coal industry last week, but the quick rally burned out as more global slowdown fears emerged. In an attempt to weather the storm, Alpha Natural Resources made a strategic shift to focus its operations on cost advantageous thermal coal and increased met-coal production in addition to stepping up exports to developing nations. The restructuring is expected to be accomplished by 2013, and it comes at a steep collateral cost of 1,200 jobs. With high-quality met-coal, Alpha Natural Resources is one of the few coal companies with a strong potential upside, but to conserve value, developing strong relations with emerging markets is a necessity. Check out the following video for more details on the restructuring and long-term prospects for Alpha Natural.
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