EXHIBIT 5.1

                         [Hunton & Williams Letterhead]

                                  July 18, 2003

Massey Energy Company
4 North 4th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

                 Registration Statement on Form S-3 Relating to
          Secondary Offering of 4.75% Senior Convertible Notes Due 2023

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to Massey Energy Company, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and A.T. Massey Coal Company, Inc., a Virginia
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company ("A.T. Massey"), in
connection with the filing by the Company and A. T. Massey of a Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") on the date hereof with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, to register (i) $132,000,000 aggregate principal amount
at maturity of 4.75% Senior Convertible Notes due 2023 (collectively, the
"Notes") issued by the Company on May 29, 2003, (ii) the Company's common stock,
$0.625 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), issuable upon conversion of the
Notes pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of May 29, 2003 as supplemented by the
Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 29, 2003, by and among the Company, A.T.
Massey and The Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee, and (iii) the guarantee of
the Company's obligations under the Notes by A.T. Massey (the "Guarantee"). The
Company issued the Notes pursuant to a Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 23,
2003, by and among the Company, A.T. Massey, UBS Warburg LLC and Citigroup
Global Markets, Inc. The Notes are to be offered and sold by certain
securityholders of the Company from time to time as set forth in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein (the "Prospectus"), and
any amendments or supplements thereto.

         In rendering this opinion, we have relied upon, among other things, our
examination of such records of the Company and A.T. Massey and certificates of
their officers and of public officials as we have deemed necessary.

         For purposes of the opinions expressed below, we have assumed (i) the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) the conformity
to the originals of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic
copies and the authenticity of the originals and (iii) the due authorization,
execution and delivery of all documents by all parties, the validity and binding
effect thereof and the enforceability of the parties' obligations thereunder.

         Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

         1. The Notes have been duly authorized and are valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms, except to the extent enforcement thereof might be limited by (i)
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, and (ii) general
principles of equity, regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a
proceeding at law or equity.

         2. The Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes has been duly
authorized and, when delivered upon such conversion in accordance with the terms
of the Notes and the Indenture, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.

         3. The Guarantee has been duly authorized and is a valid and binding
obligation of A.T. Massey, enforceable against A.T. Massey in accordance with
its terms, except to the extent enforcement thereof might be limited by (i)
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, and (ii) general
principles of equity, regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a
proceeding at law or equity.



         We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the statement made in reference to
this firm under the caption "Legal Matters" in the Registration Statement. In
giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons
whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder by the Commission.

                              Very truly yours,


                              /s/ Hunton & Williams LLP