Group Says 14 Activists Arrested At W.Va. Mine

"It is clear that these folks are not concerned with the people, the environment or the economy of West Virginia. Their efforts are purely about gaining hype and media attention for their out-of-state funders and patrons," Blankenship said.

The piece of equipment Suggs and three others climbed is called a dragline. Weighing approximately 8 million pounds, it can pick up 60 cubic yards of material in a single scoop. The boom stretches 300 feet from the dragline's center.

The protest forced a brief halt in production at Twilight, which produces approximately 5 million tons of coal annually. Massey is among the nation's largest coal producers and has operations in Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia.

While Suggs said none of the climbers or their 10-member ground support team was hurt, Massey spokesman Jeff Gillenwater said one Massey employee, or member, was injured.

"I don't know to what extent the altercation was between the protesters and the member, but the member was taken to the hospital," Gillenwater said.

West Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training spokeswoman Jama Jarrett said one of the agency's inspectors saw a protester pull the employee off the dragline.