Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 735,971	$ 737,370
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)	686,314	649,743
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	104,423	110,193
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	104,423	118,868
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net	(3,696)	(2,810)
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net	914	1,308
Selling, general and administrative expenses	29,136	33,209
Other operating income, net	(7,998)	(2,842)
Total operating expenses	809,093	788,801
Loss from investment in subsidiaries
Loss from operations	(73,122)	(51,431)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	(96,471)	(95,074)
Interest and investment income	1,843	2,836
Interest expense, net	(94,628)	(92,238)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(167,750)	(143,669)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(43,611)	(59,353)
Loss from continuing operations	(124,139)	(84,316)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	14,267
Net loss	(124,139)	(70,049)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(126,769)	(68,558)
Parent/Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)	3,389	2,883
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	1,472	1,406
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net
Selling, general and administrative expenses	19,944	21,698
Other operating income, net	1,593	(5,907)
Total operating expenses	26,398	20,080
Loss from investment in subsidiaries	(35,347)	(2,871)
Loss from operations	(61,745)	(22,951)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	(113,655)	(110,827)
Interest and investment income	7,601	9,098
Interest expense, net	(106,054)	(101,729)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(167,799)	(124,680)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(43,660)	(59,353)
Loss from continuing operations		(65,327)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax		(4,722)
Net loss	(124,139)	(70,049)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(126,769)	(68,558)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	735,971	737,370
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)	683,775	646,860
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	102,942	108,778
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net	(3,696)	(2,810)
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net	914	1,308
Selling, general and administrative expenses	7,865	10,035
Other operating income, net	(9,480)	4,077
Total operating expenses	782,320	768,248
Loss from investment in subsidiaries
Loss from operations	(46,349)	(30,878)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	(6,324)	(6,442)
Interest and investment income	17,651	15,443
Interest expense, net	11,327	9,001
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(35,022)	(21,877)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes
Loss from continuing operations		(21,877)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax		18,989
Net loss	(35,022)	(2,888)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(36,428)	(3,324)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	9	9
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1,803	1,476
Other operating income, net	(1,437)	(1,012)
Total operating expenses	375	473
Loss from investment in subsidiaries
Loss from operations	(375)	(473)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	(1,050)	(1,041)
Interest and investment income	1,149	1,531
Interest expense, net	99	490
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(276)	17
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	49
Loss from continuing operations		17
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net loss	(325)	17
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(325)	17
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)	(850)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(476)
Other operating income, net	1,326
Total operating expenses
Loss from investment in subsidiaries	35,347	2,871
Loss from operations	35,347	2,871
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	24,558	23,236
Interest and investment income	(24,558)	(23,236)
Interest expense, net
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	35,347	2,871
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes
Loss from continuing operations		2,871
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net loss	35,347	2,871
Total comprehensive income (loss)	$ 36,753	$ 3,307