UPDATED 1996 STATISTICS....WEST VIRGINIA COAL
West Virginia Coal Association's
Fact Sheets
Coal is West Virginia's "Best Known Finished Product"
West Virginia Coal is shipped to 33 states and the District of Columbia
West Virginia coal is shipped to 23 separate countries all over the world
50% of the coal exported from America comes from West Virginia (more than any other state)
West Virginia Coal is the World's "Fuel of Choice"
Coal mined in West Virginia is the most valuable of any of the 26 coal-producing states
$4.4 billion dollar value
Direct contribution to the state economy -- $2.6 billion ($14.86 per ton)
Combined indirect & direct contributions to the state -- $14.3 billion, thus,
Coal mining is a "new wealth" industry for West Virginia
Low cost, reliable electricity is made from coal
(Coal is the "LIGHT" for West Virginia and America)
99% of West Virginia's electricity is generated by COAL @ average cost of $0.05/kwh
56% of the nation's electricity is generated by COAL @ average cost of $0.08/kwh (60% higher than WV)
20% of New York's electricity is generated by COAL @ average cost of $0.13/kwh (I 60% higher than WV)
1996 was the largest production year in history for West Virginia coal
461 mines in 30 West Virginia counties reported production in 1996
174,008,217 tons (next closest were post-WWII year of 1947) 119,082,129 tons at 237 underground mines (68.4%) 54,926,088 tons at 124 surface mines (31.6%)
#1 producing county - Mingo County (26,047,322 tons)
Largest underground mine - Mountaineer Mine (Mingo Logan Coal Co.) - Mingo County
Largest surface mine - Samples Mine (Catenary Coal Co.) - Kanawha County
Total direct employment - 21,296
Total direct & indirect employment - 44,051 (includes independent contractors at the mine)
For every direct coal mining job - 5.7 jobs in the local economy
West Virginia coal industry paid approximately $1.07 billion in direct wages
(All of state government pays approximately $861.4 million)
Since 1863 (133 years) West Virginia has mined nearly 12 billion tons of coal
Estimated recoverable reserves remaining - 54 billion tons in 41 counties
West Virginia is the largest underground producing state in the nation (70% of total)
(in ten years our productivity has increased by 195%, while U.S. has improved by, 85%)
West Virginia has more longwall mining systems than any other state
HAD ENOUGH...JHILD......SAY UNCLE, AND I'LL GET MY FOOT OFF YOUR HEAD...<GG>
Watch them scramble, as they try to come up with more BS..
Lee |
