July 25, 2026 - In West Virginia mining is an essential part of the economy. Many folks that live here have family members that either work, or have worked in the mining trade to earn a living.

At the 2026 National Jamboree an organization is educating scouts about aspects of mining and how it affects their lives. Scouts had the chance to participate in a mining simulator.

The simulator was designed for scouts to learn how to operate underground mining equipment.

Edward Wellman, a Volunteer for the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, told 59News West Virginia serves a critical role in the country because of the high coal production. 

“Mining is absolutely critically important and coal is an important energy source across the country. And you look at energy demand there’s a long heritage of mining coal here [ in West Virginia.] There’s talk of transition to non-carbon fuels, but really coal is an important part of the equation because it’s something that’s readily available, it’s on demand, and really if we need to grow our energy demand for things like computing and AI we’re going to need additional energy sources,” said Wellman.

Scouts also got an education on the old ways of mining, from using gas lamps to pickaxes. According to organizers, The Summit Bechtel Reserve used to be a functional mine before Scouting America purchased the Reserve in 2009. The land was acquired after a search of over eighty cites across twenty-eight states.