Where the United States gets its coal
In 2022, about 594 million short tons of coal were produced in 21 U.S. states. Surface mines were the source of 63% of total U.S. coal production and accounted for 65% of the total number of producing mines. About 0.5 million short tons, or less than 0.1% of total coal production, was refuse recovery coal. Five states accounted for 73% of total U.S. coal production in 2022.
- The top five coal-producing states and their percentage shares of total U.S. coal production in 2022 were:1
- Wyoming41%
- West Virginia14%
- Pennsylvania7%
- Illinois6%
- Kentucky5%
Coal is mainly found in three regions: the Appalachian coal region, the Interior coal region, and the Western coal region (includes the Powder River Basin).
The two largest coal mines in the United States are the Black Thunder and North Antelope Rochelle mines in Wyoming. Together, the two mines accounted for 21% of total U.S. coal production in 2022. The largest producing mine, Black Thunder, produced nearly the same amount of coal in 2022 as the states of Illinois and Kentucky combined, the fourth- and fifth-largest coal-producing states.
Facts and data for each coal-producing region for 20221
Appalachian coal region
- The Appalachian coal region includes Alabama, Eastern Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
- About 27% of the coal produced in the United States came from the Appalachian coal region.
- West Virginia is the top coal-producing state in the region and the second-highest coal-producing state in the United States.
- Underground mines supplied 80% of the coal produced in the Appalachian region.
- Underground mines in the Appalachian region accounted for 58% of U.S. total underground coal mine production.
Interior coal region
- The Interior coal region includes Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Western Kentucky.
- About 17% of total U.S. coal was mined in the Interior coal region.
- Illinois was the top coal producer in the Interior coal region, accounting for 38% of the region's coal production and about 6% of total U.S. coal production.
- Underground mines supplied 68% of the region's coal production, and surface mines supplied 32%.
Western coal region
- The Western coal region includes Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
- About 56% of total U.S. coal production was mined in the Western coal region.
- Wyoming, the top coal-producing state in the United States, produced 41% of total U.S. coal production and 73% of the coal mined in the Western coal region.
- Seven of the top ten U.S. coal-producing mines were in Wyoming, and all of those mines are surface mines.
- Surface mines produced 92% of the coal in the Western coal region.
1 Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Coal Report, October 2023.
Last updated: December 22, 2023, with data from Annual Coal Report.
FAQs
Coal is mainly found in three regions: the Appalachian coal region, the Interior coal region, and the Western coal region (includes the Powder River Basin). The two largest coal mines in the United States are the Black Thunder and North Antelope Rochelle mines in Wyoming.
Where does coal really come from? ›
Before the dinosaurs, many giant plants died in swamps. Over millions of years, the plants were buried under water and dirt. Heat and pressure turned the dead plants into coal. Coal is used primarily in the United States to generate electricity.
What is the main source of coal? ›
Coal contains the energy stored by plants that lived hundreds of millions of years ago in swampy forests. Layers of dirt and rock covered the plants over millions of years. The resulting pressure and heat turned the plants into the substance we call coal.
Where do we get coal from now? ›
Coal is abundant theres over 1.06 trillion tonnes of proven coal reserves worldwide. This means that at current rates of production, there is enough coal to last us around 132 years. The biggest reserves are in the USA, Russia, China, Australia and India.
Where is coal naturally found? ›
Some of the largest coal deposits are located in the Appalachian basin in the eastern U.S., the Illinois basin in the mid-continent region, and throughout numerous basins and coal fields in the western U.S. and Alaska. Learn more: Coal – A Complex Natural Resource. U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment.
Is the earth still making coal? ›
The process of coal formation is still taking place today, says Bailey. “The precursor to coal is called peat, and that is just uncompressed plant matter.”
Why does the US have so much coal? ›
The United States had three major coal-forming periods: the Pennsylvanian (318-299 million years ago), which formed the Appalachian coal beds; the Cretaceous (145-65 million years ago), which formed coal in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico; and the early Tertiary (65-35 million years ago), which led to major coal ...
Which state is richest in coal? ›
Where the United States gets its coal
- The top five coal-producing states and their percentage shares of total U.S. coal production in 2022 were:1
- Wyoming41%
- West Virginia14%
- Pennsylvania7%
- Illinois6%
- Kentucky5%
At our current rates of production and consumption, there is enough coal to last us 150 years. By around 2168, coal will be no more (unless we discover new deposits which push that date back). It all relies on the rate of demand, which, for coal, grew considerably last year.
How much coal is left on Earth? ›
World Coal Reserves
The world has proven reserves equivalent to 133.1 times its annual consumption. This means it has about 133 years of coal left (at current consumption levels and excluding unproven reserves).
Texas is the largest coal energy consuming state in the U.S., using some 926 trillion British thermal units worth in 2022 in the electric power sector. Ranking second, Indiana consumed roughly 580 trillion British thermal units that same year.
Which country has the best quality coal? ›
The United States has greatest hard coal reserves
Although China has the largest hard coal production output, the United States holds the greatest reserves of the highly sought-after coal type. As of 2020, nearly 220 billion metric tons of hard coal were accessible to U.S. miners.
How deep is coal? ›
Most of the world's coal reserves are buried deep underground. Underground mining, sometimes called deep mining, is a process that retrieves coal from deep below the Earth's surface—sometimes as far as 300 meters (1,000 feet).
How do trees turn into coal? ›
Plant material did not decay when the seas covered them, and pressure and heat eventually built up over millions of years to transform the plant material to coal. The beginning of the Carboniferous generally had a more uniform, tropical, and humid climate than exists today.
Where does the most coal come from? ›
China is the largest coal-producing country in the world, with production reaching 3,942 million tonnes, a 2.5% growth. The country's coal mine production is expected to remain flat, at a CAGR of just 1.1% between 2021 and 2025, to reach 4.1 billion tonnes in 2025.
What is the origin of most coal on Earth? ›
Abstract. The bulk of Earth's coal deposits used as fossil fuel today was formed from plant debris during the late Carboniferous and early Permian periods. The high burial rate of organic carbon correlates with a significant drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) at that time.
How much coal is left in the world? ›
World Coal Reserves
The world has proven reserves equivalent to 133.1 times its annual consumption. This means it has about 133 years of coal left (at current consumption levels and excluding unproven reserves).
