Massey Energy chief Don Blankenship is twittering.

Blankenship recently started using the popular online social networking tool Twitter. He has posted five 140-character messages, or tweets, since June 19.

Massey spokesman Jeff Gillenwater says Blankenship believes there are many issues facing West Virginians and America that merit relevant thought and twittering is a way to communicate concisely with numerous people.

Blankenship's tweets have focused on mountaintop removal mining protesters, who've been targeting the practice of blasting away ridge tops to expose coal seams. For instance, Blankenship wrote Monday that he wishes protesters understood there are more important issues such as diseases and poverty.

Richmond, Virginia-based Massey operates mines in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia.