Kentucky Quarterly Coal Report
January to March 2013

Region
Total
Western Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky

Q1 Tonnage
20,625,870
10,446,240
10,179,620

Quarter Change
+0.4%
+2.3%
-1.5%

Mine Type
Total
Underground
Surface

Q1 Tonnage
20,625,870
13,997,710
6,628,161

Quarter Change
+0.4%
+4.0%
-6.4%

Western Kentucky produced more than 10.4 million tons of
coal in the first 3 months of 2013, which was 51 percent of
production and 2.6 percent more than Eastern Kentucky.

Underground coal mines in Kentucky produced nearly 14
million tons, or 68 percent of total production, while surface
mines produced 6.6 million tons, or 32 percent of production.

Preliminary data indicate that total Kentucky coal production
increased by a marginal 0.4 percent during the first three
months of 2013, to a rate of 20.6 million tons per quarter.
Although Western Kentucky production increased by 2.3
percent, Eastern Kentucky production decreased by 1.5 percent. Total Kentucky production rates have fallen by 26 percent during the past 18 months, by 38 percent since the year
2000, and by 52 percent since peaking in the year 1990.

During the first 3 months of 2013, coal production at underground coal mines in Kentucky increased by 4 percent while
production at surface mines decreased by over 6 percent.
Surface production has decreased by 49 percent since the
year 2000, and is now at the lowest level since 1963. The
annualized rate of total Kentucky coal production is also at
its slowest since 1963.

5/10/2013

energy.ky.gov

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