xt72v698797r https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt72v698797r/data/mets.xml Kentucky Kentucky Energy and Environmental Cabinet Department for Energy Development and Independence 2013 journals  English  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Coal Facts Kentucky Quarterly Coal Report, January to March 2013 text Kentucky Quarterly Coal Report, January to March 2013 2013 2014 true xt72v698797r section xt72v698797r 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

1

* Eastern Kentucky Coal Production
January to March 2013

Mine Type
Total
Underground
Surface

Q1 Tonnage
10,179,620
5,030,073
5,149,551

Quarter Change
-1.5%
+1.9%
-4.6%

Eastern Kentucky produced less than 10.2 million tons of coal
in the first three months of 2013, 49 percent from underground mines and 51 percent from surface mines.

The rate of Eastern Kentucky coal production decreased by
1.5 percent during the first three months of 2013, by 42
percent during the past 18 months, and by 64 percent since
the year 2000. Production slowed at surface mining operations by 4.6 percent, but increased by a marginal 1.9 percent in underground mines.

2

Eastern County
Pike
Perry
Harlan
Martin
Leslie
Letcher
Floyd
Knott
Magoffin
Bell
Lawrence
Knox
Johnson
Clay
Whitley Text
McCreary
Breathitt
Rockcastle
Laurel
Elliott
Owsley
Wolfe

Q1 Tonnage
Quarter Change
2,725,614
+2.95%
1,948,201
-4.07%
1,199,699
-19.27%
857,440
+45.06%
681,858
-1.22%
594,574
-13.11%
540,812
+5.28%
451,341
-0.08%
409,583
+0.33%
288,042
+10.00%
116,531
+0.53%
88,004
-47.42%
86,783
+23.36%
45,415
-43.21%
County Production
44,398
-11.38%
43,859
+69.44
38,290
+69.11%
12,167
+146.80%
7,013
-36.40%
0
N/A
0
N/A
0
N/A

Pike County remained the largest coal producing county in
Eastern Kentucky but the second largest producing county
overall, having been overtaken by Union County in 2012.
Elliott, Owsley, and Wolfe counties, which mined coal in
2012, reported zero coal production in the first three months
of 2013.

energy.ky.gov

5/10/2013

* Western Kentucky Coal Production
January to March 2013

Mine Type
Total
Underground
Surface

Q1 Tonnage
10,446,240
8,967,632
1,478,610

Quarter Change
+2.3%
+5.2%
-12.3%

Western Kentucky produced nearly 10.5 million tons of coal
in the first three months of 2013, 86 percent from underground mines and 14 percent from surface mines.

Western County
Union
Hopkins
Ohio
Webster
Muhlenberg
Daviess
Henderson
Marshall
McLean

Q1 Tonnage
3,457,080
2,347,685
1,914,796
1,500,003
1,077,951
135,064
13,663
0
0

Quarter Change
+4.26%
+5.01%
+6.14%
+13.96%
+11.58%
+30.86%
-93.73%
N/A
N/A

Western Kentucky coal production increased by 2.3 percent
during the first three months of 2013. Underground coal
mines increased production by 5.2 percent while surface mining decreased by 12.3 percent. Union County solidified its
new position as Kentucky’s leading coal producing county,
producing nearly 3.5 million tons during the first quarter of
2013.

5/10/2013

energy.ky.gov

3

* Kentucky Coal Mine Employment
January to March 2013

Eastern Counties
Total
Pike
Perry
Harlan
Martin
Leslie
Letcher
Floyd
Bell
Knott
Magoffin
Knox
Whitley
Lawrence
Johnson
Boyd
Clay
McCreary
Breathitt
Laurel
Other Counties

Employment
8,783
2,220
1,313
1,227
744
603
589
507
380
296
204
178
93
92
80
69
68
57
47
11
5

Quarter Change
-773
-8.1%
-137
-5.8%
-217
-14.2%
-198
-13.9%
+23
+3.2%
-50
-7.7%
-20
-3.3%
-38
-7.0%
-68
-15.2%
-34
-10.3%
+18
+9.7%
-46
-20.5%
+2
+2.2%
+9
+10.8%
+12
+17.7%
-15
-17.9%
+2
+3.0%
+22
+62.8%
-15
-24.2%
-3
-24.4%
-20
N/A

Preliminary data indicate that Kentucky coal mines reduced
on-site employment by 990 workers, or 7 percent, during the
first three months of 2013 alone to a new historical low of
13,109. Layoffs included 884 coal miners, 577 underground
and 267 surface, 103 preparation plant workers, and 43
mine office staff. Over the past 18 months, total on-site employment at Kentucky coal mines has fallen by 5,695, or 30
percent, from 18,804 in September 2011.

4

Western Counties
Total
Union
Hopkins
Ohio
Webster
Muhlenberg
Marshall
Daviess
Henderson
McLean

Description
Kentucky Total
Underground
Surface
Preparation Plant
Office

Employment
4,326
1,274
935
731
705
509
54
43
16
7

Employment
13,109
7,491
3,609
1,569
440

Quarter Change
-217
-4.78%
-18
-1.39%
-62
-6.22%
+21
+2.96%
-2
-0.28%
-67
-11.6%
+4
+8.0%
0
+0.0%
-92
-85.2%
-1
-12.5%

Quarter Change
-990
7.0%
-577
-7.2%
-267
-6.9%
-103
-6.2%
-43
-8.9%

Eastern Kentucky coal mines reduced total employment by
773 persons, or 8 percent, in the first three months of 2013,
bringing total layoffs during the past 18 months to 5,512 or
38.6 percent. Coal mines in Western Kentucky reduced total
employment by 217 jobs, or 4.8 percent in the first three
months of 2013, an 18 month reduction of 183 jobs, or 4
percent.

energy.ky.gov

5/10/2013

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