We published our Weekly Coal Production report for the week ending August 8, 2026.

According to all accounts, the Association's Annual Membership meeting was ultra successful in bringing the industry together in support and appreciation of President Trump's efforts to make West Virginia coal great again.

Proposed coal mining capacity rose last year even as new mines came online at a sharply slower pace and clean energy continued to erode coal’s share of global electricity generation, according to Global Energy Monitor (GEM).

Global coking coal prices showed mixed trends in early August.

Clinch Resources Ltd. (TSX: CLCH), a metallurgical coal producer with mining assets in West Virginia, has announced that it has acquired a second equipment spread for the Lanes Branch surface mining operation.

Total revenues were $509.7 million, reflecting a 65% increase in sales volumes and improved pricing for steelmaking coal.

North Dakota Senator John Hoeven has discussed the important role that reliable, coal-fired baseload power plays in making the U.S. energy secure and outlined his efforts to ensure the future of this critical industry.

The White House has completed its review of a proposed rule that would replace Biden administration protections for coal miners against toxic dust tied to incurable lung diseases, including silicosis, cancer and black lung.

The Metallurgical Coal Producers Association (MCPA)’s 18th annual Professional Engineers in Mining Seminar is Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Russell County Conference Center, 139 Highland Drive, Lebanon, Virginia.

Penn State’s highly ranked mining engineering program is slated to be among the recipients of a proposed $100 million investment from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation.

Surging electricity demand and the reprioritization of energy security are reconfirming coal’s irreplaceable role in the global economy.

Dominion's fuel costs in Virginia have risen nearly 90% in five years as data-center-driven demand leaves the utility increasingly exposed to volatile wholesale electricity prices.

The IMI annual Scholarship Golf Outing will be held on September 25, 2026.

Global coking coal prices showed mixed trends in early August.

The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) is calling on state lawmakers to halt the wave of public-school closures gutting southern West Virginia’s coalfield communities, warning that this crisis will soon reach every corner of the state.

Following President Trump’s $700 million energy investment announcement, WV Governor Patrick Morrisey discussed how it will affect the Mountain State.

The designation formalizes an engineering relationship developed directly between Frontieras' technical leadership and Yokogawa's project team.

On July 20, the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) initiated a case docket and published a proposed administrative rule for public comment to implement certain provisions of House Bill (HB) 2014.

On March 5, 2026, a continuous mining machine operator died after being pinned against the coal rib by a continuous mining machine.

The Weekly Production / Consumption Report: Week 31 (Aug 1) has been posted.

The story of coal in Pennsylvania over the past few decades has been one of decline.

Two executives with deep ties to the coal industry have been nominated to join a state commission that is gaining a larger role in determining Kentucky’s energy future.

If you love a good read (and by that, we mean flotation theory, tailings management, or the details of rock mechanics) you're in the right place.

China aims to establish a modern coal industry system by 2030, according to a development plan issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration via Xinhua report.

As nations race to cut import exposure to geopolitical tensions, China is building the world’s only large-scale coal-to-gas (CTG) industry as a strategic buffer against supply shocks.

U.S. electricity generation has been rising to meet growing demand from data centers.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger recently announced she is going to intervene with the State Corporation Commission regarding the proposed merger between NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects natural gas inventories will increase to 3,985 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in October, the most gas in inventories ahead of the winter heating season since 2016.

China's coal imports surged to the highest this year in July but the strength is deceiving and built on short-term factors that are unlikely to persist.

We know not everyone had the chance to register before the original deadline, so we're giving you one final opportunity to attend Australia's leading showcase of mining innovation for free.

“Federal investment can be an important catalyst, but ultimately mineral security is measured by what America can actually produce," said Jon Nix, CEO of Clinch Resources.

Warrior Met Coal (NYSE:HCC) reported sharply higher second-quarter earnings and cash generation as its Blue Creek mine contributed additional sales volumes and lower-cost production, while management raised its full-year sales and production outlook.

Core Natural Resources Inc. expects coal demand to increase as surging electricity needs from AI data centers and reindustrialization put new pressure on a power grid where coal plants are operating at less than half of their capacity.

Join fellow SME Virtual Section members on Wednesday, August 12 at 9:00 am MT for an interactive mixer exploring the future of leadership in mining.

More than 356 billion tons of coal resources lie beneath federally owned land in the contiguous United States, according to a government report, whose new and comprehensive findings could escalate mining in those areas, most of them in the West.

Britain’s increasing reliance on imported coal is raising questions about the future of its domestic mining industry, particularly at a time when the country possesses enormous coal reserves of its own.

Cummins Inc has announced a series of technological developments for its portfolio of mining solutions that, it says, reinforces its strategy of disciplined investment and execution while strengthening its position in key growth markets.

We updated our Coal Markets Report for the business week ending August 7, 2026.

U.S. coal-fired generation increased by 13% in 2025 as stronger electricity demand from data centres, manufacturing and hotter summer weather lifted power generation, contributing to a rise in power-sector carbon dioxide emissions.

"The United States is making clear that critical minerals are a matter of national security, and we are proud to be part of the conversation," said Mark C. Jensen, Chairman and CEO of American Resources Corporation.

A new report reveals that coal miners in central Appalachia are suffering from black lung disease at the highest rates in nearly 50 years.

Utilities are now being asked to supply more power than they expected just a few years ago, said Steve Piper, director of North American power and renewables research at S&P Global Energy.

Republican Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is appointing the former CEO of electric utility East Kentucky Power Cooperative and a CEO of a barge company to a commission that the state legislature is looking to for advice on energy policy.

Warrior Met Coal (HCC) is back in focus after its 5 August 2026 earnings release. The company reported updated quarterly results, revised full year 2026 volume guidance, new production targets, and a reaffirmed cash dividend.

The 2026 SME PCMIA Annual Joint Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday/Thursday, October 21-22, at the Hilton Garden Inn-Southpointe in Canonsburg, PA.

The global energy transition may be accelerating, but coal is proving remarkably difficult to dislodge.

Missouri S&T is among the universities included in a new $100 million federal initiative designed to strengthen the U.S. critical minerals workforce.

The Northern Indiana Public Service Co. spent $116.7 million from January through March to comply with Trump administration orders forcing the operation of two Jasper County coal units scheduled for retirement at the end of last year.

Letter to the Editor featured in Wyoming's Cowboy State Daily.

The Western U.S. is sitting on billions of tons of unmined coal, a new report from the Department of the Interior finds.

Warrior Met Coal (HCC) is back in focus after its 5 August 2026 earnings release. The company reported updated quarterly results, revised full year 2026 volume guidance, new production targets, and a reaffirmed cash dividend.

Alpha Metallurgical Resources recently reported Q2 2026 results showing revenue of US$492.86 million versus US$550.27 million a year earlier and a net loss of US$12.25 million.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger recently announced she is going to intervene with the State Corporation Commission regarding the proposed merger between NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy.

Guess & Co. has completed a $3 billion acquisition of natural resource assets in West Virginia, adding oil and gas wells, mineral interests and coal reserves as the company expands its long-term energy and industrial development platform.

Missouri S&T is among the universities included in a new $100 million federal initiative designed to strengthen the U.S. critical minerals workforce.

The U.S. government will invest $3 billion in critical minerals and battery projects as part of a push to increase domestic production and boost national security and industrial policy.

President Donald Trump said Friday the federal government will fund $180 million in grants for mining schools across the county as part of his administration’s goal of rebuilding the U.S. coal industry.

On August 6, 2026, Core Natural Resources reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $126.5 million on $1.1 billion in revenue, with adjusted EBITDA of $323.6 million.

President Trump has announced over $2 billion in critical mining and mining-related projects to revitalize the industry and over $180 million in mining school investments to bolster the American mining workforce.

US President Donald Trump announced over $2 billion in investments for mining and metals projects on Aug. 7, targeting production of copper, rare earths, graphite and other critical materials.

If you love a good read (and by that, we mean flotation theory, tailings management, or the details of rock mechanics) you’re in the right place.

In the second quarter of 2026, coal volumes transported by major eastern US railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern increased by 5% and 4%, respectively.

Oil markets have delivered an unexpected signal amid the latest disruption surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump on Friday announced more than $180 million in grants to boost educational and trade programs for the mining industry, part of a bid to increase critical mineral production.

Coal-fired power generation jumped 13% in the U.S. last year, according to a recent report from the federal Energy Information Administration.

The clock is ticking – the current Early Bird pricing for IMARC 2026 ends today, giving you one last opportunity to secure your Delegate Pass at the current rate before prices increase.

"Due to several factors, we closed out the first half of 2026 with fewer tons shipped and higher costs than expected," said Andy Eidson, Alpha's chief executive officer.

The White House needs critical minerals to replenish weapons stockpiles depleted during the Iran conflict and reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese supply chains.

Alpha Metallurgical Resources has added a new presentation to its website.

The National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum has opened CO 150: 1876 – 2026, an exhibit commemorating Colorado's 150th anniversary of statehood by telling the story of the boomtown that helped bankroll it.

The Indictment charges the defendants with keeping miners underground and continuing to mine coal for all or portions of three shifts while unsuccessfully fighting a fire.

As industrial technologies continue to evolve at pace; mining, manufacturing and industrial businesses are under increasing pressure to improve productivity, strengthen safety, reduce operating costs and meet growing sustainability expectations.

We published our Weekly Coal Production report for the week ending August 1, 2026.

Coal-fired power generation jumped 13% in the U.S. last year, according to a recent report from the federal Energy Information Administration.

Did you know that August 10th-16th is National Safe and Sound Week?

Nationwide Boiler Inc. has announced a planned leadership transition designed to ensure continuity and long-term stability.

Conversations across the steel industry have changed. A few years ago, the focus was on commodity prices and production volumes. Today, manufacturers, investors, and policymakers are asking different questions.

Emerson has announced the Rosemount™ 350A High Performance pH/ORP Sensor, designed to deliver reliable measurements in harsh processes while simplifying installation and maintenance through a digital, plug-and-play sensor connection.

Warrior reported net income for the second quarter of 2026 of $87.4 million, or $1.65 per diluted share, an increase from net income of $5.6 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2025.

"NACCO delivered significant year-over-year improvement in both gross profit and Adjusted EBITDA," said J.C. Butler, NACCO President and Chief Executive Officer.

Core Natural Resources, Inc. reported net income of $126.5 million, or $2.51 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2026. Additionally, Core reported adjusted EBITDA1 of $323.6 million in the quarter.

Another wave of uncertainty has hit Buchanan County, VA's coal industry after employees at a local coal preparation plant and surface mining operation were laid off following the sale of their company’s assets in federal bankruptcy court.

Caterpillar reported its strongest quarterly performance on record, with second-quarter sales and revenue climbing to $20.5 billion, a 24% increase from $16.6 billion a year earlier.

FUCHS Lubricants Co. is highlighting RENOLIT LX HD 5, a heavy-duty grease engineered for mining applications where equipment operates under extreme loads, constant vibration, water ingress, dust contamination and wide temperature variations.

The Trump administration is investigating how much coal is under federal lands, but whether that translates to more mining has yet to be seen.

On July 11, 2026, a contract miner was seriously injured after being engulfed by coal spillage while shoveling beneath a silo.

For decades, Cummins has been synonymous with reliable power.

On July 6, 2026, a miner died when a covered hopper railcar derailed and pinned him against a structural beam of a train load out silo.

Coal mining production and manpower returns from April to June 2026.

On July 6, 2026, a miner died when the haul truck he was operating collided with another haul truck.

As demand for electricity from AI data centers soars, the data center industry has already indirectly been relying on the coal fleet to meet their soaring power needs.

We have posted Form EIA-861, Annual Electric Power Industry Report, with data on electric sales and revenue for 2025.

There is increasing interest in extracting critical minerals (CM), including rare earth elements (REE), from coals in the United States to address the overreliance on imported REE.

American Electric Power has announced plans to purchase the nation’s newest and cleanest coal-fired electric plants in the country and the permits required to construct a natural gas power plant alongside.

The IMI annual Scholarship Golf Outing will be held on September 25, 2026.

A securities fraud class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Peabody investors after its stock plummeted over 9% because Peabody allegedly misled investors regarding the coal production at Centurion, its flagship premium hard coking coal mine.

NIOSH researchers found that working veteran underground coal miners in central Appalachia are suffering from the incurable and fatal lung disease at the highest rates in nearly 50 years.

Ramaco Resources, Inc. is a leading operator and developer of high-quality, low-cost metallurgical coal in Central Appalachia and is exploring a coal, rare earth, and other critical minerals project in Wyoming.

Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel is beginning to deliver stronger financial results, with the American business becoming one of the company's largest contributors to profit as domestic steel market conditions improve.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey told business and industry leaders at The Greenbrier that West Virginia is poised to play a major role in America’s energy future, pointing to billions of dollars in announced investments and thousands of potential

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey announced Dominion Energy has proposed building the Mt. Storm Combined Cycle Station in Grant County.

The future of Wyoming coal might depend less on availability than on whether companies believe there is enough demand to justify bidding for new leases.

Coal accounts for 47% of the state’s power production this year, down from 94% in 2008.

President Donald Trump is expected to attend a roundtable on Friday with top mining executives hosted by the US State Department, according to two people familiar with the planning.

Protecting your hands and fingers is one of the most important things you can do every day on the job.

President Donald Trump’s administration has taken aggressive steps to boost coal production, but those efforts may only have partially succeeded.

We updated our Coal Markets Report for the business week ending July 31, 2026.

As tech companies have built hundreds of hyperscale data centers to power the artificial intelligence boom, they have triggered conflicting predictions over how these facilities will affect the nation’s power grid.

American Electric Power has announced plans to purchase the 710 MW coal-fired Longview Power Plant in Monongalia County, WV for an undisclosed price.

Across America, the energy landscape is undergoing a transformation of unprecedented scale. As our nation accelerates its shift toward a digital-first economy, the demand for electricity is rising at a pace that few predicted even a decade ago.

Coal has long been associated with electricity generation, steelmaking, and carbon emissions. But a new technology unveiled in China aims to give the fossil fuel a very different role.

Clinch Resources Ltd. announced it has sold its first 11,000-ton train of commercial-grade metallurgical coal from its Lanes Branch surface mine in Wyoming County.

Caterpillar Inc. has announced the launch of its workforce commitment in Illinois, the most recent investment in its five-year, $100 million Building the Future Workforce Initiative.

The leadership skills that drove success yesterday may not be the skills that define success tomorrow.

The Trump administration is investigating how much coal is under federal lands, but whether that translates to more mining has yet to be seen.

Extreme heat kills more people than any other climate hazard – so said the United Nations last month, in a very confident post that lasted about as long as it took our team to pull up the actual mortality data.

Cummins is marking 100 years of serving the mining industry by looking ahead to the next generation of performance, efficiency, and lifecycle value.

Together, the reports make clear that coal remains a strategic national asset.

Across America, the energy landscape is undergoing a transformation of unprecedented scale. As our nation accelerates its shift toward a digital-first economy, the demand for electricity is rising at a pace that few predicted even a decade ago.

The Metallurgical Coal Producers Association (MCPA)’s 18th annual Professional Engineers in Mining Seminar is Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Russell County Conference Center, 139 Highland Drive, Lebanon, Virginia.

Renewable energy, ESG, decarbonization and environmental innovation are increasingly shaping strategic decision-making across mining, manufacturing and industry.

India’s consumption of power rose in July owing to lower-than-normal monsoons.

Rescue teams on Saturday recovered the bodies of the last two miners trapped inside a coal mine in the Sorange area on the outskirts of Quetta due to a methane gas explosion, bringing a nearly 45-hour search and rescue operation to an end.

Frontieras North America Develops New Path for Coal Utilization as Industry Gains Support

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita filed suit Friday to block the scheduled 2028 closure of the Rockport Power Plant in Spencer County, targeting a federal consent decree that would force American Electric Power to shut down one of its generating units.

A nearly 45-hour search and rescue operation at a private coal mine in the Soranj area of Balochistan has been completed, with authorities confirming that all 34 miners trapped in the accident have been recovered.

The company also announced that its first seaborne vessel carrying 65,000 tons of metallurgical coal is expected to ship in early September.

Northeast Pennsylvania currently has four mines open for tours, generally from April to November each year. Two are in Scranton and the others are in Ashland and Lansford.

The letter follows an admission from the Trump administration that the decision to cancel energy project grants in states that did not vote for Trump was “based solely” on politics.