<ARTICLE> 5
<CIK>         0001022356
<NAME>        ANKER COAL GROUP INC.
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                                                                                 
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  YEAR                      5-MOS                      7-MOS                  9-MOS                
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                     DEC-31-1996               DEC-31-1996                DEC-31-1996            DEC-31-1997   
<PERIOD-START>                        JAN-01-1996               AUG-01-1996                JAN-01-1996            JAN-01-1997   
<PERIOD-END>                          DEC-31-1996               DEC-31-1996                JUL-31-1996            SEP-30-1997   
<CASH>                                        556                         0                          0                    228   
<SECURITIES>                                    0                         0                          0                      0   
<RECEIVABLES>                              28,526                         0                          0                 32,523   
<ALLOWANCES>                                    0                         0                          0                      0   
<INVENTORY>                                 6,085                         0                          0                 15,213   
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                           39,149                         0                          0                 54,057   
<PP&E>                                    148,631                         0                          0                191,084   
<DEPRECIATION>                              5,685                         0                          0                 14,879   
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                            259,683                         0                          0                312,383   
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                      31,739                         0                          0                 44,630   
<BONDS>                                    83,830                         0                          0                130,736   
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                      20,775                         0                          0                 22,182   
<PREFERRED>                                23,000                         0                          0                 23,000   
<COMMON>                                        0                         0                          0                      0   
<OTHER-SE>                                 57,779                         0                          0                 51,098   
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>              259,683                         0                          0                312,383   
<SALES>                                         0                   123,246                    166,909                240,818   
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                0                   123,246                    166,909                240,818   
<CGS>                                           0                   110,215                    149,364                217,520   
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                   0                   120,390                    161,042                237,215   
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                0                     (373)                      1,862                (1,064)   
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                0                         0                          0                      0   
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              0                     2,090                      2,796                  6,646   
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 0                     1,139                      1,209                (1,979)   
<INCOME-TAX>                                    0                       485                      (134)                  (554)   
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             0                       654                      1,343                (1,425)   
<DISCONTINUED>                                  0                         0                          0                      0   
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                 0                         0                          0                (3,849)   
<CHANGES>                                       0                         0                          0                      0   
<NET-INCOME>                                    0                       654                      1,343                (5,274)   
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                   0                         0                          0                      0   
<EPS-DILUTED>                                   0                         0                          0                      0