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Mining in the United States has been active since the beginning of colonial times, but became a major industry in the 19th century with a number of new mineral discoveries causing a series of mining rushes. In 2015, the value of coal, metals, and industrial minerals mined in the United States was US$109.6 billion. 158,000 workers were directly ...
For comparison, the second largest producer, the United States, produced more than 1.1 billion tons in 2007. An estimated 5 million people work in China's coal-mining industry. As many as 20,000 miners die in accidents each year. [66] Most Chinese mines are deep underground and do not produce the surface disruption typical of strip mines.
Total US coal production, 1870–2018 Historical coal production of different countries. Coal mining is an industry in transition in the United States. Production in 2019 was down 40% from the peak production of 1,171.8 million short tons (1,063 million metric tons) in 2008.
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When coal is compared to solar photovoltaic generation, the latter could save 51,999 American lives per year if solar were to replace coal-based energy generation in the U.S. [33] [34] Due to the decline of jobs related to coal mining a study found that approximately one American suffers a premature death from coal pollution for every job ...
However, it also made the job even more dangerous. Coal mining disasters, such as the Harlan County mining disaster of 1976, were not uncommon and resulted in numerous fatalities. Throughout the 20th century, coal mining remained a major industry in eastern Kentucky, providing jobs and economic growth to the region.
In 2012 the mining and quarrying sector accounted for 1.5% of the economy and energy accounted for 5%. However these sectors were expected to expand by more than 10% per year due to increased output of coal and gas. Gas reserves were estimated to be the fourth largest in the world. [2]