Efforts to restore mine works after Scottish Coal liquidation Efforts to restore open cast mines will be discussed on Monday in light of the collapse of a major mining company. Energy Minister Fergus Ewing will lead the latest meeting in Cumnock, East Ayshire, one of the areas affected by the liquidation of Scottish Coal. Speaking before the taskforce meeting, Mr Ewing said there have been significant developments on job preservation. Of the 648 people made redundant, between 300 and 500 new jobs will be replaced, he said. "This positive news is down to the hard work of the taskforce, the co-operation from those affected and the engagement with councils, with workers and with coal operators," he said. Today's taskforce meeting will focus on the issue of restoration, and its importance for both the environment and for job creation. A shortfall of up to £62m has been found in the costs of restoring open cast mines in the local authority area, it emerged last month. Just over £27.6m is thought to be in place to pay for work estimated as high as £90m, a report to the council stated. The figures were provided by liquidators KPMG which estimated restoration costs between £48m and £90m. Bond coverage in Scottish Coal totals £16.1m, with a further £11.5m in sites run by collapsed firm Aardvark. At the upper end, the difference would amount to just over £62m. Urging caution with the calculations, the council report still warned of the potential for "significant shortfall" in restoration costs. The taskforce includes councils from affected areas, the Coal Authority, relevant unions, Scottish and UK governments, politicians and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Lang Banks, director of environment group WWF Scotland, said: "It would be simply wrong if the original company, and anyone who might buy its assets, were to be allowed to walk away without cleaning up the mess that's been left behind. So, it's really good to hear that ministers are going to address the issue of restoration and clean-up of open cast coal sites. Polluters must never be allowed to profit at the expense of the environment or the taxpayer. We therefore urge the Scottish Government to use all the powers at its disposal to ensure those who have devastated the environment and communities are made to pay up. This whole saga underlines why Scotland should be drawing a line under the extraction and use of fossil fuels. It's now time for Scotland to seize the full potential of renewables, create new clean jobs, and protect the environment. Your report: If you have information on this or any other story, please let us know. You can send information, pictures to web@stv.tv or call us on 01382 591016. Feedback: We want your feedback on our site. If you've got questions, spotted an inaccuracy or just want to share some ideas about our news service, please email us on web@stv.tv. Join in: For debate, chat, comment and more, join our communities on the STV News Facebook page or follow @STVNews on Twitter.