Alpha Natural Resources announced that it is issuing sales guidance for 2018 of 13.0 – 14.6 million tons, comprised of approximately 6.8 – 7.8 million tons of metallurgical coal and 6.2 – 6.8 million tons of thermal coal. Alpha's anticipated 2018 metallurgical coal sales consist of various grades of metallurgical coal, with the majority of these sales from Alpha's Low Volatile, Medium Volatile, and High Volatile A products. More than half of Alpha's metallurgical sales in 2018 will be sold under Alpha's multi-year arrangement to a counterparty for ultimate sale to third parties in the international market. Pricing through this arrangement is primarily set by various Atlantic seaborne-based price indices, depending on the grade and quality of the coal.  The majority of Alpha's thermal sales are to long-standing domestic utility customers with the remaining thermal production to be sold domestically or into the export market via spot sales. The company expects capital expenditure in the range of $67 million to $72 million. The company also announced that it expects sales in the fourth quarter of 2017 to be 1.9 million tons of metallurgical coal and 1.7 million tons of thermal coal, and full year 2017 sales of 7.9 million tons of metallurgical coal, including 1.0 million brokered tons, and 7.0 million tons of thermal coal. With the Lexington Coal transaction closing in the Fourth Quarter of 2017, Alpha expects to incur a one-time loss of approximately $165 million, which includes costs associated with maintaining idle properties, professional and banking fees, and employee related expenses.