Peak Anthracite?

lsayre · By: **lsayre** On: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:15 pm

Since many are talking about the potential for "peak oil", I thought I'd ask about "peak anthracite". What does the future hold in store regarding the availability of anthracite long term, seeing that production peaked in the 1950's and it has pretty much been in precipitous decline ever since?

I seem to recall reading somewhere where there are only about 2,000 people employed in the mining of anthracite at the present time. Could that possibly be true?

lsayre · By: **lsayre** On: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:22 pm

I believe I also read somewhere where much (most?) of the current anthracite production comes from the reworking of the tailings from old long closed down mining operations. Could this possibly be true?

hophead · By: **hophead** On: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:25 pm

Well, the Government and MSHA have made it nearly impossible to get it out of the ground unless you're a very large company and can ignore of fight their sillyness in court. The peak was in the early part of the century and will never recover. All the easy stuff has been taken. You'll hear all sorts of claims of billions of tons that are still recoverable but that's hogwash by people that don't know what they're talking about and never picked a lump off the ground.

kstills · By: **kstills** On: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:41 pm

http://www.tsl.uu.se/uhdsg/publications/pcc_article.pdf

I just skimmed this article, but it claims that PA has ~6billion tons of recoverable anthracite.

In 2008, 1.54 million tons were mined.

That's a 3800 year supply.

lsayre · By: **lsayre** On: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:51 pm

I believe that is the total estimate, and not the economically and/or physically recoverable quantity.

I stand corrected, as it appears that peak anthracite occurred in 1918, not in the 1950's.

europachris · By: **europachris** On: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:55 pm

Last year Illinois mined 33.5 million tons. The demonstrated reserve base is 104 BILLION tons with 40 billion tons recoverable, or 119 years at current consumption rates. More can be mined, but not at the current financial status.

CoalIndustry2010Outline.pdf: Nice presentation on the 2010 Illinois coal industry - good information regarding coal in general (regulations, trends, etc.); (2.29 MiB) Downloaded 7 times; Select:BBcode: [nepafile=26485]CoalIndustry2010Outline.pdf[/nepafile]

I don't think we're in any danger of running out of coal any time soon, and by the time we do, oil will have been long gone and someone had BETTER have figured out how to make fusion power a reality, otherwise the future will be pretty bleak. I don't think there is any other energy source that can replace coal, oil and fission reliably and seamlessly.

Richard S. · By: **Richard S.** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:23 am

lsayre wrote: seeing that production peaked in the 1950's and it has pretty much been in precipitous decline ever since?

It peaked in 1917.

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/ftproot/coal/0576.pdf

Pennsylvania has long been a major source of coal,
leading the Nation in coal production until the early
1950's and ranking among the top coal producers since World War II.
Cumulative production is more than 15 billion short
tons, an amount far exceeding that from any other State.
In 1992, coal was Pennsylvania's most valuable mineral
resource, the value of production representing an
estimated 60 percent of the total value of all mineral
commodities produced.

.................................

The development of canals, railroads, and river transportation
opened up markets for both bituminous coal
and anthracite. In 1918, output was a record 277 million
short tons, a level unequalled by any other State.

..................................

First Year of Documented Coal Production
Anthracite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1820 (458 short tons).
Bituminous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1840 (465,000 short tons)
Peak Year of Coal Production
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1918 (277,377,000 short tons).
Anthracite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1917 (99,612,000 short tons).
Bituminous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1918 (178,551,000 short tons)

This is an older document from the 90's I believe Wyoming has surpassed both the total output and yearly output records. Even more amazingly they did it in 40 years.

coaledsweat · By: **coaledsweat** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:55 am

It is starting to look like we will be burning coal long after the oil, gas and nukes are gone.

Brian · By: **Brian** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:15 pm

Watch what happens with the Greenwood breaker in Tamaqua in the coming year! The China-man is coming. And we in the are area are going to be SOL. Thank your local politician.

Rob R. · By: **Rob R.** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:22 pm

Can you elaborate?

Brian · By: **Brian** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:25 pm

Waiting for permits. They are drilling test holes from Tamaqua to Nesquehoning. Take a ride if you are close.

Rob R. · By: **Rob R.** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:30 pm

I'm not close, but I drove through in October and it looked deserted. I thought some real estate company took the property back from LC&N. Are you saying it has been sold to the Chinese?

Brian · By: **Brian** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:35 pm

No. Big time money movers in New York.

Brian · By: **Brian** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:39 pm

Most activity I'm seeing now is between Lansford and Nesquehoning on route 209.

Yanche · By: **Yanche** On: Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:17 pm

Brian wrote:No. Big time money movers in New York.

Are you implying that's bad?

Peak Anthracite?

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