Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 713,776	$ 766,332	$ 1,449,747	$ 1,503,702
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)	622,137	656,198	1,308,451	1,305,941
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	102,464	111,085	206,887	221,278
Depreciation, depletion and amortization			206,887	237,668
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net	(3,239)	(2,209)	(6,935)	(5,019)
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net	(2,992)	(9,008)	(2,078)	(7,700)
Asset impairment costs	1,512	20,482	1,512	20,482
Selling, general and administrative expenses	29,931	34,302	59,067	67,511
Other operating income, net	(232)	(8,239)	(8,230)	(11,081)
Total operating expenses	749,581	802,611	1,558,674	1,591,412
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(98,437)	(68,163)	(225,206)	(136,721)
Loss from investment in subsidiaries
Loss from operations	(35,805)	(36,279)	(108,927)	(87,710)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	(97,960)	(94,756)	(194,431)	(189,830)
Interest and investment income	2,036	1,216	3,879	4,052
Interest expense, net	(95,924)	(93,540)	(190,552)	(185,778)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(131,729)	(129,819)	(299,479)	(273,488)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(34,869)	(49,468)	(78,480)	(108,821)
Loss from continuing operations	(96,860)	(80,351)	(220,999)	(164,667)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	8,145	0	22,412
Net loss	(96,860)	(72,206)	(220,999)	(142,255)
Parent/Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)	3,547	1,829	6,937	4,712
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	1,346	1,475	2,818	2,880
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net
Asset impairment costs	1,512	20,482	1,512	20,482
Selling, general and administrative expenses	21,729	22,205	41,673	43,903
Other operating income, net	(1,883)	(1,101)	(290)	(7,009)
Total operating expenses	26,251	44,890	52,650	64,968
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(98,437)	(68,163)	(225,206)	(136,721)
Loss from investment in subsidiaries	2,502	26,961	(32,844)	19,492
Loss from operations	(23,749)	(17,929)	(85,494)	(45,476)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	(116,084)	(110,946)	(229,739)	(221,761)
Interest and investment income	8,125	7,201	15,726	16,161
Interest expense, net	(107,959)	(103,745)	(214,013)	(205,600)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(131,708)	(121,674)	(299,507)	(251,076)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(34,848)	(49,468)	(78,508)	(108,821)
Loss from continuing operations		(72,206)		(142,255)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net loss	(96,860)	(72,206)	(220,999)	(142,255)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	713,776	766,332	1,449,747	1,503,702
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)	619,470	654,369	1,303,246	1,301,229
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	101,109	109,601	204,051	218,380
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net	(3,239)	(2,209)	(6,935)	(5,019)
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net	(2,992)	(9,008)	(2,078)	(7,700)
Asset impairment costs	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	7,250	10,729	15,115	20,763
Other operating income, net	1,554	(7,041)	(7,929)	(2,963)
Total operating expenses	723,152	756,441	1,505,470	1,524,690
Total comprehensive income (loss)	1,647	28,123	(34,779)	20,202
Loss from investment in subsidiaries
Loss from operations	(9,376)	9,891	(55,723)	(20,988)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	(6,565)	(5,825)	(12,890)	(12,130)
Interest and investment income	18,341	15,566	35,993	30,998
Interest expense, net	11,776	9,741	23,103	18,868
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	2,400	19,632	(32,620)	(2,120)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes
Loss from continuing operations		19,632		(2,120)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax		8,145		22,412
Net loss	2,400	27,777	(32,620)	20,292
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	18	18
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net
Asset impairment costs	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1,489	1,368	3,292	2,845
Other operating income, net	(1,320)	(97)	(2,756)	(1,109)
Total operating expenses	178	1,280	554	1,754
Total comprehensive income (loss)	102	(816)	(224)	(800)
Loss from investment in subsidiaries
Loss from operations	(178)	(1,280)	(554)	(1,754)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	(1,092)	(1,059)	(2,142)	(2,100)
Interest and investment income	1,351	1,523	2,500	3,054
Interest expense, net	259	464	358	954
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	81	(816)	(196)	(800)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(21)		28
Loss from continuing operations		(816)		(800)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net loss	102	(816)	(224)	(800)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues
Costs, expenses and other
Cost of sales (exclusive of items shown separately below)	(880)		(1,732)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization
Amortization of acquired sales contracts, net
Change in fair value of coal derivatives and coal trading activities, net
Asset impairment costs	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(537)		(1,013)
Other operating income, net	1,417		2,745
Total operating expenses
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(1,749)	(27,307)	35,003	(19,402)
Loss from investment in subsidiaries	(2,502)	(26,961)	32,844	(19,492)
Loss from operations	(2,502)	(26,961)	32,844	(19,492)
Interest expense, net
Interest expense	25,781	23,074	50,340	46,161
Interest and investment income	(25,781)	(23,074)	(50,340)	(46,161)
Interest expense, net
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(2,502)	(26,961)	32,844	(19,492)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes
Loss from continuing operations		(26,961)		(19,492)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
Net loss	$ (2,502)	$ (26,961)	$ 32,844	$ (19,492)