• The first piece of coal was discovered in Illinois more than three hundred years ago. It took another hundred years before a full-fledged mining industry was born.
  
  
• "While the early mining was done with picks, shovels and mules, today's miners employ state-of-the-art techniques to ensure the greatest coal quality and productivity"
  
  
• Illinois, which mining over 47 million tons of coal each year, ranks sixth among coal producing states.
  
  
• "Coal seams underly 37,000 square miles of Illinois -- about 65 percent of the state's surface"
  

• "Recoverable coal reserves in Illinois (30 billion tons) account for almost one-eighth of the total U.S. coal reserves and one-quarter of the nation's bituminous coal reserves."
  
  
• The Illinois coal reserves harness more energy than the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, combined.
  

Coal Markets

• Each year, Illinois’ revenue from coal averages about one billion dollars.
  
  

• "The top 7 utility users of Illinois coal are: PSI Energy, Illinois Power, Tennessee Valley Authority, Central Illinois Public Service, Northern Indiana Public Service, Tampa Electric and Union Electric. All purchased more than 2 million tons of Illinois coal in 1996."
  
  
• The largest markets for Illinois coal are electric utilities in the Mid-West and the South: specifically Indiana, Florida, Missouri and Tennessee.
  
  
• The biggest consumer of coal in Illinois is Decatur-based Illinois Power.
  
  
• The next graph displays the amount of coal distributed to foreign consumers, about 2 million tons are exported annually.
  
  

Work Force

• Illinois coal mining is a huge industry, it has mining establishment in 17 counties. In 1996, 27 Illinois mines employed more than 5,000 miners, and generated roughly 25,000 spin-off jobs.
  
  
• "In 1981, Illinois recorded the first fatality-free year in mining history."
  
  
• Because of improvements in technology, 5000 Illinois miners produced as much coal in 1996 as 7,900 miners produced in 1962, 28,500 miners produced in 1949, and 74,000 miners produced in 1927.