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Coal Mining Productivity by State, Mine Type, and Mine Production Range                                          


Table 23.    xls    pdf     Annual Coal Report
Table 23.  Coal Mining Productivity by State, Mine Type, and Mine Production Range, 2006
(Short Tons Coal Produced per Employee per Hour)
Coal-Producing State, Region[1],
and Mine Type
Mine Production Range
(Thousand Short Tons)
Total[2]
1,000 and Greater
500 to 1,000
200 to 500
100 to 200
50 to 100
10 to 50
Less Than 10
Alabama  2.22 1.60 2.84 2.16 1.82 1.85 0.10 2.01
   Underground  2.22 0.88 - 1.59 0.85 - 0.05 1.74
   Surface  - 2.93 2.84 2.23 2.08 2.11 0.14 2.51
Alaska  6.48 - - - - - - 6.48
   Surface  6.48 - - - - - - 6.48
Arizona  7.79 - - - - - - 7.69
   Surface  7.79 - - - - - - 7.69
Arkansas  - - - - - 0.19 2.48 0.24
   Underground  - - - - - 0.19 - 0.19
   Surface  - - - - - - 2.48 2.48
Colorado  8.08 21.25 4.95 - 0.73 - - 7.90
   Underground  7.92 - 4.33 - - - - 7.72
   Surface  8.64 21.25 6.73 - 0.73 - - 8.46
Illinois  3.93 8.56 2.37 - 1.48 11.36 - 3.70
   Underground  3.81 - 1.90 - 1.48 - - 3.52
   Surface  5.18 8.56 3.52 - - 11.36 - 4.89
Indiana  5.09 6.98 3.35 - 1.77 1.18 0.03 4.81
   Underground  3.86 - 2.50 - 1.08 - - 3.46
   Surface  6.03 6.98 5.71 - 2.66 1.18 0.05 5.82
Kansas  - - 3.20 7.73 - - - 3.64
   Surface  - - 3.20 7.73 - - - 3.64
Kentucky Total  4.05 3.34 3.39 2.68 2.03 2.19 0.05 2.96
   Underground  3.68 2.91 2.88 2.46 1.81 1.90 0.03 2.68
   Surface  5.37 4.34 3.97 3.03 2.62 2.46 0.09 3.51
  Eastern  4.01 3.32 3.36 2.72 2.05 2.25 0.05 2.78
   Underground  3.02 2.91 2.87 2.54 1.93 1.90 0.04 2.37
   Surface  5.27 4.35 3.93 3.00 2.38 2.58 0.08 3.45
  Western  4.09 4.11 4.26 1.76 1.84 0.67 0.06 3.78
   Underground  4.01 - 3.28 1.03 0.47 - - 3.69
   Surface  6.51 4.11 4.94 3.88 4.62 0.67 0.37 4.54
Louisiana  7.64 8.81 - - - - - 7.84
   Surface  7.64 8.81 - - - - - 7.84
Maryland  10.67 5.17 3.22 3.65 2.55 1.46 0.29 4.82
   Underground  10.67 - 2.85 3.26 - - - 6.10
   Surface  - 5.17 3.80 3.89 2.55 1.46 1.41 3.81
Mississippi  10.38 - - - - - - 10.38
   Surface  10.38 - - - - - - 10.38
Missouri  - - 11.44 9.16 - - - 10.20
   Surface  - - 11.44 9.16 - - - 10.20
Montana  23.38 - 4.87 - - - - 21.98
   Underground  - - 2.65 - - - - 2.65
   Surface  23.38 - 16.80 - - - - 23.30
New Mexico  9.70 - - - - - - 8.62
   Underground  9.49 - - - - - - 8.07
   Surface  9.78 - - - - - - 8.85
North Dakota  17.00 - - - - - - 16.91
   Surface  17.00 - - - - - - 16.91
Ohio  5.45 3.93 4.19 3.07 2.02 1.75 0.07 4.04
   Underground  5.45 4.27 5.01 2.72 - - - 4.81
   Surface  - 3.69 3.80 3.16 2.02 1.75 0.11 3.06
Oklahoma  - - 3.57 5.00 - 0.48 0.67 3.35
   Underground  - - 3.22 - - 0.30 - 2.44
   Surface  - - 3.72 5.00 - 1.50 0.67 3.78
Pennsylvania Total  5.20 3.47 4.00 2.84 2.54 2.48 0.19 3.90
   Underground  5.20 3.98 4.05 2.72 2.57 1.42 0.05 4.52
   Surface  - 2.54 3.95 2.93 2.54 2.65 0.27 2.44
  Anthracite  - - 4.08 1.67 2.02 1.91 0.16 0.95
   Underground  - - - 1.67 - 1.25 0.14 0.68
   Surface  - - 4.08 - 2.02 2.07 0.17 1.04
  Bituminous  5.20 3.47 3.99 2.95 2.78 2.75 0.21 4.21
   Underground  5.20 3.98 4.05 2.97 2.57 1.58 - 4.65
   Surface  - 2.54 3.94 2.93 2.81 2.88 0.44 2.87
Tennessee  - - 2.44 2.41 2.38 1.57 0.07 2.06
   Underground  - - 2.62 - 2.38 1.14 0.06 1.97
   Surface  - - 2.33 2.41 - 2.14 0.08 2.14
Texas  10.11 4.43 - - - - - 9.90
   Surface  10.11 4.43 - - - - - 9.90
Utah  7.19 3.78 2.30 - - 1.21 0.03 6.15
   Underground  7.19 3.78 2.30 - - 1.21 0.03 6.18
   Surface  - - - - - - - -
Virginia  4.01 3.27 3.05 2.05 2.30 2.27 0.04 2.67
   Underground  4.15 3.06 2.62 2.06 2.10 2.00 0.03 2.48
   Surface  3.62 3.57 3.71 1.99 2.85 2.86 0.08 3.07
Washington  2.03 - - - - - - 2.03
   Surface  2.03 - - - - - - 2.03
West Virginia Total  4.46 3.52 2.99 2.37 1.92 2.10 0.02 3.32
   Underground  4.03 2.97 2.69 2.08 1.81 1.63 0.01 2.87
   Surface  5.01 4.68 3.89 3.13 2.49 2.84 0.03 4.14
  Northern  4.94 3.22 3.72 2.01 1.69 2.31 0.07 4.12
   Underground  4.80 3.01 3.29 1.66 1.31 1.74 0.02 4.02
   Surface  6.09 6.23 6.11 3.35 6.93 2.71 0.16 4.78
  Southern  4.23 3.58 2.88 2.39 1.96 2.05 0.01 3.09
   Underground  3.19 2.96 2.59 2.11 1.91 1.62 0.01 2.36
   Surface  4.91 4.62 3.69 3.12 2.18 2.89 0.01 4.08
Wyoming  36.66 1.84 - - 0.66 3.45 0.37 35.46
   Underground  - 1.84 - - - - - 1.84
   Surface  36.66 - - - 0.66 3.45 0.37 36.24
Appalachian Total  4.39 3.24 3.23 2.59 2.10 2.18 0.06 3.13
   Underground  4.17 2.82 2.88 2.36 1.91 1.72 0.03 2.95
   Surface  4.98 4.05 3.70 2.88 2.41 2.51 0.11 3.45
  Northern  5.20 3.62 3.94 2.90 2.34 2.32 0.15 4.02
   Underground  5.16 3.60 3.81 2.60 1.64 1.52 0.03 4.40
   Surface  6.09 3.65 4.07 3.09 2.53 2.45 0.24 3.02
  Central  4.15 3.42 3.08 2.53 2.07 2.14 0.03 2.89
   Underground  3.30 2.94 2.70 2.33 1.96 1.78 0.02 2.38
   Surface  4.91 4.37 3.72 2.90 2.43 2.65 0.05 3.67
  Southern  2.22 1.60 2.84 2.16 1.82 1.85 0.10 2.01
   Underground  2.22 0.88 - 1.59 0.85 - 0.05 1.74
   Surface  - 2.93 2.84 2.23 2.08 2.11 0.14 2.51
Interior Total  5.52 6.50 3.24 3.44 1.74 0.58 0.04 5.10
   Underground  3.89 - 2.39 1.03 0.94 0.23 - 3.54
   Surface  8.15 6.50 4.27 5.72 3.70 1.31 0.10 7.35
  Illinois Basin  4.33 6.66 3.04 1.76 1.74 1.28 0.03 4.07
   Underground  3.89 - 2.27 1.03 0.94 - - 3.57
   Surface  5.92 6.66 4.55 3.88 3.70 1.28 0.08 5.49
Western Total  21.55 4.01 4.32 - 0.68 1.81 0.01 20.19
   Underground  7.75 3.07 3.27 - - 1.21 0.02 6.77
   Surface  26.33 21.25 9.47 - 0.68 3.45 0.00 25.70
  Powder River Basin  37.97 - - - 0.66 - - 37.57
   Surface  37.97 - - - 0.66 - - 37.57
  Uinta Region  7.69 5.15 3.17 - 0.73 1.21 0.03 7.11
   Underground  7.55 3.78 3.17 - - 1.21 0.03 6.92
   Surface  8.64 21.25 - - 0.73 - - 8.41
East of Miss. River  4.41 3.36 3.22 2.57 2.08 2.17 0.06 3.29
   Underground  4.08 2.82 2.84 2.33 1.82 1.72 0.02 3.06
   Surface  5.34 4.29 3.74 2.89 2.49 2.47 0.11 3.74
West of Miss. River  19.85 4.47 4.02 6.60 0.68 0.55 0.03 18.33
   Underground  7.75 3.07 3.26 - - 0.36 0.02 6.62
   Surface  23.25 8.09 4.81 6.60 0.68 2.42 0.04 22.27
Subtotal  9.80 3.40 3.25 2.61 2.03 2.09 0.06 6.27
   Underground  4.58 2.84 2.85 2.33 1.82 1.57 0.02 3.37
   Surface  16.34 4.41 3.79 2.97 2.34 2.47 0.11 10.19
Refuse Recovery  - - - 8.64 - 1.48 1.34 4.33
U.S. Total  9.80 3.40 3.25 2.65 2.03 2.08 0.06 6.26
[1] For a definition of coal producing regions, see Glossary.
[2] Includes all employees at preparation plants and tipples not co-located with a mine.
  - =  No data are reported.
  Note:  · Productivity is calculated by dividing total coal production by the total labor hours worked by all employees engaged in production, preparation, processing, development, maintenance, repair shop, or yard work at mining operations, including office workers.  Excludes preparation plants with less than 5,000 employee hours during the year, which are not required to provide data.
  Source:  · Energy Information Administration Form EIA-7A, "Coal Production Report," and U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Form 7000-2, "Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production Report."

see also:
Historical Coal Data back to 1949
Projected Coal Supply & Demand to 2030
International Coal Data