The provided HTML snippet contains information about coal reserves in the United States, specifically West Virginia. The text states that as of January 2023, the total coal reserves in the US are estimated to be around 470 billion short tons (US tons). However, only 250 billion short tons are considered recoverable, and 12 billion short tons are recoverable reserves at producing mines.The provided HTML snippet contains information about coal reserves in the United States, specifically West Virginia. The text states that as of January 2023, the total coal reserves in the US are estimated to be around 470 billion short tons (US tons). However, only 250 billion short tons are considered recoverable, and 12 billion short tons are recoverable reserves at producing mines. West Virginia is believed to have around 28.2 billion short tons of coal reserves, which is about 6% of the total US reserves. The state also has 1.8 billion short tons of recoverable coal at producing mines, equaling around 15% of the US total. Most of West Virginia’s coal production comes from underground mines, while the rest comes from surface mining. The text estimates that the recoverable coal reserves in the US will last another 422 years, and 20 years for recoverable reserves at producing mines, based on coal production in 2022. However, it is important to note that as coal production changes, the timeline may also change.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) — Coal has been a major part of West Virginia’s economy and identity for decades, but as a non-renewable resource, it can only last so long.
The US Energy Information Administration estimates that as of January 1, 2023, the United States’ total coal reserves are around 470 billion short tons (US tons). This total is considered the Demonstrated Reserve Base (DRB), which is the sum of coal in both measured and indicated resource categories of reliability.
Only 250 billion short tons are considered recoverable, meaning the amount that can be recovered with existing technology. 12 billion short tons are recoverable reserves at producing mines, meaning the recoverable coal from mines that produce more than 25,000 short tons a year
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Of the DRB coal in the US, West Virginia is believed to have about 6 percent, around 28.2 billion short tons, making it one of the top DRB coal states in the country. The state also has 15 percent of recoverable coal at US producing mines, equaling around 1.8 billion short tons.
Most of West Virginia’s coal production comes from underground mines, also called deep mine, while the rest comes from surface mining.
It is uncertain how long the existing US coal reserves will last, but it is estimated based on coal production in 2022 that recoverable coal reserves in the US will last another 422 years, and 20 years from recoverable reserves at producing mines. As coal production changes, so will the timeline.
