International Coal Group celebrated the opening a new mine Thursday in Eccles, near Beckley. The group's Beckley, Pocahontas mine now has 110 workers, but the employment level is expected to top 250 sometime next year. The mine is slated to pump out 1.4 million tons of coal a year. The first production started in 2007, and now the mining operation 900 feet below Eccles is really ramping up. The coal industry sees it as an especially important project. There was a lot of talk about safety at the opening ceremony. ICG lost 12 miners at Sago and moving ahead has been difficult. It will have a major economic impact on southern West Virginia with an annual payroll of $18.7 million. When the mine reaches full production, the company claims it will have a payroll of nearly $19 million a year, and be paying more than $11 million yearly in state taxes.