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Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, Wallace, Anthony F. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Warren, Kenneth. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, Woodworth, J. Yearley, Clifton K.. Citation: Adams, Sean Patrick. Net Encyclopedia, edited by Robert Whaples. January Please read our Copyright Information page for important copyright information. Send email to admin eh. Newsletters To join the newsletters or submit a posting go to click here.
Sean Patrick Adams, University of Central Florida Introduction The coal industry was a major foundation for American industrialization in the nineteenth century. The Richmond Basin Following independence from Britain, imported coal became less common in American cities and the domestic trade became more important. Many coal seams were exposed on hillsides or river banks, and those rivers allowed coal barges easy access to the mines. Labor relations and coal mining did not become contentious until much later.
Surface mining meant minimal danger to laborers. In addition, because the mines were small, workers and management worked alongside each other. Several attempts to organize mine workers took place in the s and s but generally had little lasting influence. Coal Before the Civil War In people began using anthracite coal to make iron.
This advance increased the efficiency of the iron furnaces, as well as improved the quality of the iron. Production levels remained high through the years leading up to the Civil War, even though prices fell. By , over 20 million tons of anthracite came out of American coal mines. The demands of the Union military led to more coalfields opening, including new bituminous coal mines in Maryland, Ohio, and Illinois.
Railroads expanded to reach these new mines and became an integral part of the coal trade. Railroads also began purchasing coalfields directly and leasing them to mining companies. The railroads opened the coalfields of West Virginia by connecting them with industrial outlets. The coast-to-coast railroad built immediately following the Civil War provided access to coalfields west of the Mississippi River.
New technology drove the evolution of the industry. Extraction of coal went underground, requiring pumps and new machinery to obtain the coal. Western coal generally contains less sulfur than eastern coal which is good for the air when coal is burned , but not always. The federal government is by far the largest owner of the nation's coalbeds. In the west. Coal companies must lease the land from the federal government in order to mine this coal.
Coal production is the amount of coal mined and taken to market. Where does mining take place in the United States? Although coal is mined in 27 states, more coal is mined in eastern states, especially coal that is taken from underground mines, than in western states. However, the West's share of total coal production has increased steadily since when it provided just five percent of U. Today the West provides 45 percent of the nation's total production.
Total U. Some coal produced in the United States is exported to other countries. Last year, foreign countries imported seven percent of all the coal produced in the U. The five biggest foreign markets for U. What do we use coal for? Electricity is the main use. Last year 88 percent of all the coal used in the United States was for electricity production. Other energy sources used to generate electricity include nuclear power, hydropower, and natural gas. Another major use of coal is in iron and steelmaking.
The iron industry uses coke ovens to melt iron ore. Coke, an almost pure carbon residue of coal, is used as a fuel in smelting metals. The United States has the finest coking coals in the world. These coals are shipped around the world for use in coke ovens. Coal is also used by other industries. The paper, brick, limestone, and cement industries all use coal to make their products.
Contrary to what many people think, coal is no longer a major energy source for heating American homes or other buildings. Less than one percent of the coal produced in the U. Coal furnaces, which were popular years ago, have largely been replaced by oil or gas furnaces or by electric heat pumps. Coal and the Environment. When coal became an important energy source for American industry over a century ago, concern for the environment was not at the forefront of public attention.
For years, smokestacks from electrical and industrial plants emitted pollution into the air. Coal mining left some land areas barren and destroyed. Automobiles, coming on strong after World War II, contributed noxious gases to the air. Eventually, as the effects of pollution became more and more noticeable, Americans decided it was time to balance the needs of industry and the environment. Federal laws passed in the s and 70s, namely the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, required industries to reduce pollutants released into the air and the water.
Laws also were passed that required coal companies to reclaim the land destroyed by strip mining. Since the passage of these laws, much progress has been made toward cleaning up the environment.
The coal industry's most troublesome problem today is removing organic sulfur, a substance that is chemically bound to coal. All fossil fuels, such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas, contain sulfur. When these fuels are burned, the organic sulfur is released into the air where it combines with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is an invisible gas that has been shown to have adverse- effects on the quality of air we breathe.
It also contributes to acid rain, an environmental problem that many scientists think adversely affects wildlife especially fish and forests.
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