Coal will continue to provide a major portion of energy requirements in the United States for at least the next several decades. It is imperative that accurate information describing the amount, location, and quality of the coal resources and reserves be available to fulfill energy needs. It is also important that the United States extract its coal resources efficiently, safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner. A renewed focus on federal support for coal-related research, coordinated across agencies and with the active participation of the states and industrial sector, is a critical element for each of these requirements. Coal focuses on the research and development needs and priorities in the areas of coal resource and reserve assessments, coal mining and processing, transportation of coal and coal products, and coal utilization.

Advances in Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining covers the latest advancements in coal mining technology and practices. It gives a comprehensive introduction to the latest research and technology developments, addressing problems and issues currently being faced, and is a valuable resource of complied technical information on the latest coal mining safety and health research. As coal's staying power has been at the forefront of the world's energy mix for more than a century, this book explores critical issues affecting coal mining, including how to maintain low-cost productivity, address health and safety hazards, and how to be responsible environmental stewards. This book takes a holistic approach in addressing each issue from the perspective of its impact on the coal mining operation and industry as a whole. - Explains how to effectively produce coal within existing environmental constraints - Encapsulates the latest health and safety research and technological advances in the coal mining industry - Written by authors who have developed the latest technology for coal mines