Kentucky Coal Facts - 13th Edition - Department for Energy ...

Types of Coal Mining
Several different mining methods are used in the Commonwealth
to access coal deposits in the Central Appalachian
Basin of Eastern Kentucky and the Illinois Basin of Western
Kentucky. The selected mining approach, or combination of
mining approaches, at a given mine site is largely dictated
by local geography and hydrology, as well as the amount of
soil and rock overburden in place above a coal seam. For
simplicity of accounting, coal mines are generally divided
between surface operations and underground operations,
though several sub-categories exist to describe exact mining
approaches and mine permits.
Underground mine operations accounted for 64 percent of
coal production in Kentucky in 2012, with room and pillar
systems being the most common form of mining method.
Various categories of surface mines accounted for 36 percent
of statewide production. Historically, underground
mines have provided the bulk of employment and coal
production in the state. During 2012, combined coal production
from underground operations and surface operations
was more than 91 million tons with the majority of
production concentrated in Eastern Kentucky.
Kentucky Coal Production by Mining Method, 2012*
Mine Type Auger Culm Bank/Refuse Pile Dredge Strip/Quarry/Open Pit Underground Total
State 984,673 63,660 5,983 32,074,272 58,278,720 91,407,312
EKY 846,269 63,660 5,983 24,260,740 24,187,308 49,363,960
WKY 138,404 - - 7,813,534 34,091,412 42,043,352
*Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, ―Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production
Report‖ (MSHA Form 7000-02). The above table summarizes the five types of mining methods—as categorized by
MSHA—that registered coal production in Kentucky during 2012. As a result of this summarization, small quantities of coal
that are counted in total statewide production may not necessarily be represented in the above totals.
Refuse recovery mines and culm bank mines register production only when new coal is brought to market. These types of
mines extract new coal from waste material discarded or impounded by previous mining operations.
energy.ky.gov
kentuckycoal.com
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