Kentucky Production
Kentucky produced 131.4 million tons of bituminous coal in 2002, down from the record of 179.4
million tons set in 1990.
Year
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2002

UNDERGROUND
Eastern Kentucky
Western Kentucky
32,041,487
37,740,473
44,068,538
41,280,096
59,603,430
75,530,607
81,577,417
73,922,358
59,956,626
59,562,704

12,851,108
13,341,646
19,430,489
24,757,456
19,558,157
21,188,598
27,375,465
24,763,534
21,543,143
21,244,764

SURFACE
Eastern Kentucky
Western Kentucky
4,622,417
9,587,626
28,527,422
46,957,448
49,582,095
52,294,115
49,393,390
47,288,817
44,335,363
44,615,777

18,552,641
26,537,294
33,281,946
31,209,511
21,400,291
22,602,743
21,026,997
11,812,973
6,010,856
5,979,552

STATE
TOTALS
67,067,653
87,207,039
125,308,395
144,204,511
150,143,973
169,616,063
179,373,269
157,787,682
131,845,988
131,402,797

Source: Kentucky Division of Mines & Minerals, Annual Reports, 1960—2002

Number of Mines, 1984-2002
Year

Surface

1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002

1,137
937
723
612
492
429
360
296
270
250
248
237
237
221
205
198
162
203
194

Kentucky
Underground
926
921
830
816
738
670
627
542
482
446
425
361
307
308
277
260
246
264
233

Total
2,063
1,858
1,553
1,428
1,230
1,099
987
838
752
696
673
598
544
529
482
458
408
467
427

Eastern Kentucky
Surface
Underground
1,026
900
836
897
633
802
532
791
426
714
358
644
301
601
243
513
225
459
197
425
206
401
201
339
197
287
193
289
186
259
178
243
148
234
187
253
180
219

Total
1,926
1,733
1,435
1,323
1,140
1,002
902
756
684
622
607
540
484
482
445
421
382
440
399

Western Kentucky
Surface
Under- Total
ground
111
26
137
101
24
125
90
28
118
80
25
105
66
24
90
71
26
97
59
26
85
53
29
82
45
23
68
53
21
74
42
24
66
36
22
58
40
20
60
28
19
47
19
18
37
20
17
37
14
12
26
16
11
27
14
14
28

Number of Mine Licenses in Kentucky
The number of actual mines is smaller than the final number of mine licenses issued each year. A
new license is required when the company name or ownership changes.
Year

UNDERGROUND
Eastern Kentucky
Western Kentucky

SURFACE
Eastern Kentucky
Western Kentucky

1960
2,563
74
179
1965
1,959
49
176
1970
1,449
34
502
1975
1,614
31
1,743
1980
1,131
32
1,349
1985
1,153
31
1,548
1990
799
27
860
1995
456
28
665
2000
309
14
256
2002
300
18
310
Source: Kentucky Division of Mines & Minerals, Annual Reports, 1960—2002

8

70
45
73
182
136
139
83
48
26
20

STATE
TOTALS
2,886
2,229
2,058
3,570
2,648
2,871
1,769
1,197
605
648

*