U.S. Energy Information Administration | Annual Coal Report 2022

Table ES2. Coal Mining Productivity, 1949-2022

(Short Tons per Employee Hour) 1

Mining Method East of the Mississippi River West of the Mississippi River

Year Underground Surface2 Underground Surface2 Total2 Underground Surface2 Total2 Total2

1949 0.68 1.92 NA NA NA NA NA NA 0.72

1950 0.72 1.96 NA NA NA NA NA NA 0.76

1951 0.76 2.00 NA NA NA NA NA NA 0.80

1952 0.80 2.10 NA NA NA NA NA NA 0.84

1953 0.88 2.22 NA NA NA NA NA NA 0.93

1954 1.00 2.48 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.08

1955 1.04 2.65 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.14

1956 1.08 2.67 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.19

1957 1.11 2.73 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.23

1958 1.17 2.73 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.31

1959 1.26 2.87 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.43

1960 1.33 2.91 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.52

1961 1.43 3.16 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.64

1962 1.50 3.40 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.74

1963 1.60 3.66 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.87

1964 1.72 3.76 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.99

1965 1.75 4.10 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.09

1966 1.83 4.28 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.23

1967 1.88 4.48 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.31

1968 1.93 4.33 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.35

1969 1.95 4.50 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.41

1970 1.72 4.53 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.30

1971 1.50 4.49 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.19

1972 1.49 4.54 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.18

1973 1.46 4.58 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.16

1974 1.41 4.74 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.31

1975 1.19 3.26 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.81

1976 1.14 3.25 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.78

1977 1.09 3.16 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.80

1978 1.04 3.03 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.77

1979 1.13 3.08 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.81

1980 1.20 3.21 NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.93

1981 1.29 3.42 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.10

1982 1.37 3.36 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.11

1983 1.61 3.81 NA NA NA NA NA NA 2.50

1984 1.72 4.03 1.69 2.56 1.98 2.49 8.15 7.07 2.64

1985 1.78 4.24 1.75 2.52 2.00 2.45 8.61 7.40 2.74

1986 2.00 4.60 1.96 2.75 2.21 2.80 9.02 7.90 3.01

1987 2.20 4.98 2.16 2.97 2.42 3.39 9.86 8.73 3.30

1988 2.38 5.32 2.32 2.99 2.54 3.55 10.73 9.38 3.55

1989 2.46 5.61 2.39 3.13 2.63 3.92 11.86 10.21 3.70

1990 2.54 5.94 2.46 3.32 2.73 4.01 12.26 10.41 3.83

1991 2.69 6.38 2.59 3.49 2.86 4.53 12.36 10.79 4.09

1992 2.93 6.59 2.82 3.61 3.07 4.85 12.49 11.03 4.36

1993 2.95 7.23 2.81 3.74 3.11 5.18 13.94 12.14 4.70

1994 3.19 7.67 3.02 3.85 3.28 5.93 15.19 13.22 4.98

1995 3.39 8.48 3.19 4.03 3.45 6.32 16.23 14.18 5.38

1996 3.57 9.05 3.36 4.25 3.63 7.03 17.89 15.66 5.69

1997 3.83 9.46 3.63 4.49 3.89 6.82 18.63 16.04 6.04

1998 3.90 9.58 3.69 4.31 3.89 6.76 18.82 16.27 6.20

1999 3.99 10.39 3.74 4.48 3.97 7.45 19.57 17.18 6.61

2000 4.15 11.01 3.89 4.82 4.18 7.66 20.04 17.62 6.99

2001 4.02 10.58 3.71 4.53 3.98 8.39 20.63 18.32 6.82

2002 3.98 10.36 3.67 4.22 3.86 7.80 20.67 18.06 6.80

2003 4.04 10.75 3.68 4.18 3.85 8.33 21.42 18.67 6.95

2004 3.96 10.55 3.59 3.95 3.72 8.22 22.04 19.00 6.80

2005 3.62 10.03 3.28 3.75 3.44 7.48 21.98 18.50 6.36
U.S. Energy Information Administration | Annual Coal Report 2022

Mining Method East of the Mississippi River West of the Mississippi River

Year Underground Surface2 Underground Surface2 Total2 Underground Surface2 Total2 Total2

2006 3.37 10.18 3.06 3.74 3.29 6.62 22.26 18.33 6.26

2007 3.34 10.24 3.03 3.74 3.27 6.52 22.35 18.23 6.27

2008 3.15 9.81 2.87 3.58 3.12 6.07 21.85 17.77 5.96

2009 2.99 9.22 2.74 3.33 2.94 5.51 19.85 16.15 5.61

2010 2.89 9.46 2.66 3.24 2.84 5.54 20.25 16.60 5.55

2011 2.72 8.97 2.49 3.04 2.67 5.25 19.59 15.93 5.19

2012 2.84 8.97 2.58 2.99 2.70 5.65 18.15 15.03 5.19

2013 3.07 9.69 2.80 3.16 2.89 6.09 18.35 15.39 5.53

2014 3.35 10.42 3.07 3.27 3.12 6.47 18.86 15.96 5.95

2015 3.45 10.94 3.24 3.24 3.24 5.74 18.20 15.51 6.28

2016 3.83 10.73 3.68 3.22 3.57 5.18 16.54 14.20 6.61

2017 3.77 10.92 3.55 3.16 3.46 6.10 17.91 15.49 6.55

2018 3.68 10.36 3.50 3.07 3.40 5.64 17.38 14.92 6.24

2019 3.60 9.88 3.39 2.91 3.27 5.78 16.89 14.43 5.95

2020 3.60 10.24 3.43 2.78 3.28 5.09 16.37 13.71 6.12

2021 4.03 11.38 3.85 2.81 3.61 5.66 18.94 15.64 6.71

2022 3.62 10.39 3.47 2.58 3.25 5.14 18.52 15.37 6.11

NA=Not available.

1 Data through 1973 for bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, and lignite, and data through 1978 for anthracite, were originally reported in short tons per employee day these data were converted to short tons

per employee hour by assuming an eight-hour day. Through 1997, other data were calculated by dividing total production by total labor hours worked by all mine employees except office workers; beginning in

1998, the calculation also includes office workers.

2 Beginning in 2001, includes a small amount of refuse recovery.

3 Through 1978, data for anthracite are not available by mining method, but are included in 'Total'.

Note: Web Page: For related information, see http://www.eia.gov/coal/.

Sources: 1949-1975 Bureau of Mines, Minerals Yearbook, 'Coal Bituminous and Lignite' and 'Coal Pennsylvania Anthracite' chapters. 1976 U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Energy Data Reports, Coal

Bituminous and Lignite in 1976 and Coal Pennsylvania Anthracite 1976. 1977 and 1978 EIA, Energy Data Reports, Bituminous Coal and Lignite Production and Mine Operations 1977. 1978 and Coal Pennsylvania

Anthracite 1977. 1978. 1979 EIA, Energy Data Report, Coal Production 1979. 1980-1988 EIA, Coal Production, annual reports. 1989-2000 EIA, Coal Industry Annual, annual reports. 2001-2010 EIA, Annual Coal

Report, annual reports. 2011 EIA, Form EIA-7A, 'Coal Production Report,' and U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Form 7000-2, 'Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal Production

Report'.