Teck says strike shuts down Coal Mountain mine

[Omaha Steve]

http://ca.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idCATRE6761KY20100807

Sat Aug 7, 2010 6:11pm EDT

TORONTO (Reuters) - Teck Resources Ltd said on Saturday that a strike had halted production at its Coal Mountain mine in British Columbia.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based Teck said the United Mineworkers of America union had served strike notice on Wednesday and launched the strike on Friday.

The previous labor contract at the mine expired at the end of last year.

Teck's Coal Mountain operation produces both metallurgical coal, which is used to make iron and steel, and thermal coal used to generate power. The company said on its website the current annual production capacity of the mine is 2.7 million metric tones.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Hodgson, editing by Anthony Boadle)