One quarter of the world’s coal reserves are found within the United States. Coal is also the workhorse of the nation’s electric power industry, supplying more than 50 percent of the electricity Americans consume. As of 2007, federal coal leases provide over 80 percent of the total coal produced in the state. Most of the coal reserves in Colorado are subbituminous (lowest sulfur content and cleanest burning coal) which are used for generating electricity. In Colorado, there are currently nine coal producing mines (seven underground and two surface) encompassing 75,000 acres.
The 2007 federal production, total production, and federal royalty from the surface and underground coal and in-situ sodium operations are as follows:
- Federal coal production: 25 million tons
- Total coal production(federal, state, and fee): 36 million tons
- Federal coal royalty: $38.3 million
- Federal sodium production: 100,000 tons
- Federal sodium royalty: $219,000