Steel giant ArcelorMittal is buying the Mid Vol Coal Group, which includes operations throughout southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia in the Central Appalachian Coal Basin.

The mines produced 1.5 million tons of metallurgical coking coal in 2007, It has estimated recoverable saleable reserves and resources in excess of 85 million tons, the company said.

ArcelorMittal's Chief Financial Officer Aditya Mittal said the deal "further increases our upstream self sufficiency in a primary raw material during a time when metallurgical coking coal demand on a global scale remains strong."

"ArcelorMittal is currently the largest customer of Mid Vol and the quality of the coal produced meets that demanded by our coke making facilities," he added. "It is our intention to double the production level at Mid Vol in the short- to medium-term and permits have recently been granted to the operation which will facilitate this."

ArcelorMittal's holdings include a steel plant in Weirton.