Chinese coal miners in an illustration of the Tiangong Kaiwu Ming Dynasty encyclopedia, published in 1637 by Song Yingxing. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led An encyclopedia (or '''encyclopædia''') is a comprehensive written Compendium that contains Information on either all branches of Knowledge Song Yingxing ( Traditional Chinese:宋應星 Simplified Chinese:宋应星 Wade Giles: Sung Ying-Hsing; 1587-1666 AD was a Chinese

Coal has been used worldwide as a fuel for centuries. Fuel is any material that is burned or altered in order to obtain energy

Around 1842 coal became the main energy source for the Industrial Revolution, the expanding railway system of countries being a prime user to power steam trains. Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. A steam locomotive is a Locomotive powered by Steam. The term usually refers to its use on Railways but can also refer to a "road locomotive" Britain developed the main techniques of underground coal mining from the late 18th century onward with further progress being driven by 19th century and early 20th century progress. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on ^[1]

Because coal is found mainly underground, it must be mined or extracted prior to use. Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body Large-scale coal mining developed during the Industrial Revolution, and coal provided the main source of primary energy for industry and transportation in the West from the 18th century to the 1950s. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Primary energy is energy that has not been subjected to any conversion or transformation process The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive Coal remains an important energy source, due to its low cost and abundance when compared to other fuels, particularly for electricity generation. ^[2] However, coal is also mined today on a large scale by open pit methods wherever the coal strata strike the surface and is relatively shallow. Open-pit mining, also known as opencast mining and open-cut mining and strip mining, refers to a method of extracting rock or Minerals

However oil and its associated fuels began to be used as alternative from this time onward. An oil is a substance that is in a viscous Liquid state ( "oily") at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer and is By the late 20th century coal was for the most part replaced in domestic as well as industrial and transportation usage by oil, natural gas or electricity produced from oil, gas, nuclear or renewable energy sources. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Renewable energy is Energy generated from Natural resources mdashsuch as Sunlight, Wind, Rain, tides and geothermal

Since 1890, coal mining has also been a political and social issue. Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Coal miners' labour and trade unions became powerful in many countries in the 20th century, and often the miners were leaders of the Left or Socialist movements (as in Britain, Germany, Poland, Japan, Canada and the U.S.)^[3] Since 1970, environmental issues have been increasingly important, including the health of miners, destruction of the landscape from strip mines and mountaintop removal, air pollution, and coal combustion's contribution to global warming. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This is a list of environmental issues that are due to human activity Surface mining is a type of Mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed Mountaintop removal mining ( MTR) often referred to in the industry as mountaintop mining/valley fills (MTM/VF is a form of Surface mining that involves an Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the

Prehistory

An 120,000-year-old Stone Age coalstone hunting camp was discovered in 2005 by archaeologists in an opencast coalstone mine in Germany, its first known use being campfire cooking fuel for German hunters. The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which Humans widely used stone for toolmaking Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A campfire is a Fire lit at a Campsite, usually in a Fire ring. Cooking is the process of preparing Food by applying Heat, selecting measuring and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure for producing safe and edible The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as ^[4] China Coal Information Institute reports the Chinese mined coalstone for fuel since 10,000 years ago at the time of the New Stone Age, or Neolithic Era. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos "People in Shanxi, now the largest coal production base, have been burning coal as fuel since then. ( Postal map spelling: Shansi) is a province in the northern part of the People's Republic of China. "^[5] Coal usage was widespread in various parts of the world by the Bronze Age, 2000-1000 BC. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for Chinese usage of coal for smelting began in the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). The Warring States Period ( also known as the Era of Warring States covers the period from some time in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by the They are credited with organizing production and consumption to the extent that by the year 1000 AD this activity could be called an industry. In the 11th century, the demands for charcoal of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) Chinese iron industry led to widespread deforestation. Charcoal' is the blackish residue consisting of impure Carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from Animal and Vegetation The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Events By Place Europe Edgar the Peaceable is crowned King of England. The history of ferrous metallurgy began far back in Prehistory, most likely with the use of Iron from Meteorites The Smelting of iron in Deforestation is the conversion of Forested areas to non-forest land for use such as Arable land, Pasture, urban use logged area or wasteland ^[6] With the advent of coal replacing charcoal in the iron smelting process, thousands of acres of prime timberland were spared in China. Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or ^[6] China remained the world's largest producer and consumer of coal until the 18th century. ^[7] Roman historians describe coal as a heating source in Britannia. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Britannia was the term originally used by the Romans to refer first to the British Isles, and later to the island of Great Britain. ^[8]

Coal miners in Hazleton PA, USA, 1900

The earliest use of coal in the Americas was by the Aztecs. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political They used coal not only for heat but as ornaments as well. Jet is a geological material and is considered to be a minor gemstone Coal deposits were discovered by colonists in Eastern North America in the 18th century. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system ^[9]

Early coal extraction was small-scale, the coal lying either on the surface, or very close to it. Typical methods for extraction included drift mining and bell pits. Drift mining is a method of accessing valuable geological material such as Coal, by cutting into the side of the earth rather than tunneling straight downwards (see Shaft A bell pit is a primitive method of Mining Coal where the coal lies near the surface on flat land In Britain, some of the earliest drift mines (in the Forest of Dean) date from the medieval period. The Forest of Dean is a geographical historical and cultural region in the western part of the County of Gloucestershire, England ^[10] However, the Romans exploited coal on a large scale as shown by the stores of coal at many forts along Hadrian's Wall, and the remains of smelting industry at forts such as Longovicium nearby. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Hadrian's Wall ( Latin: perhaps Vallum Aelium, "the Aelian wall" is a stone and turf Fortification built by the Roman Chemical reduction, or smelting, is a form of Extractive metallurgy. Longovicium (or Lanchester Roman Fort) was an auxiliary Castra on Dere Street, in the Roman province of Britannia Inferior

As well as drift mines, small scale shaft mining was used. Shaft mining or Shaft sinking refers to the method of excavating a vertical or near-vertical tunnel from the top down where there is initially no access to the bottom This took the form of a bell pit, the extraction working outward from a central shaft, or a technique called room and pillar in which 'rooms' of coal were extracted with pillars left to support the roofs. A bell pit is a primitive method of Mining Coal where the coal lies near the surface on flat land Room and pillar is a Mining system in which the mined material is extracted across a horizontal plane while leaving "pillars" of untouched material to support Both of these techniques however left considerable amount of usable coal behind.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the 1700s, and later spread to Europe, North America, and Japan, was based on the availability of coal to power steam engines. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. A steam engine is a Heat engine that performs Mechanical work using Steam as its Working fluid. International trade expanded exponentially when coal-fed steam engines were built for the railways and steamships in the 1810-1840 Victorian era. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving a Propeller Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1840 ( MDCCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Coal was cheaper and much more efficient than wood burning in most steam engines. Pyrography is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object such as a poker. As central and Northern England contains an abundance of coal, many mines were situated in these areas as well as the South Wales coalfield and Scotland. Northern England, The North, The North of England or (less commonly The North Country refers to the parts of England north of an ill-defined line The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of South Wales that is rich with Coal deposits Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The small-scale techniques were unsuited to the increasing demand, with extraction moving away from surface extraction to deep shaft mining as the Industrial Revolution progressed. ^[11]

Beginning of the 20th century

Coal miners 1910

Men leaving a UK colliery at the close of a shift

Britain

Pre 1900

Deep shaft mining in the UK started to develop in the late 18th century, although rapid expansion occurred throughout the 19th century and early 20th Century when the industry peaked. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The location of the coalfields helped to make the prosperity of Lancashire, of Yorkshire, and of South Wales; the Yorkshire pits which supplied Sheffield were only about 300 feet deep. Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. South Wales (De Cymru is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south and Mid Wales and West Wales Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England Northumberland and Durham were the leading coal producers and they were the sites of the first deep pits. Northumberland is a county in the North East of England. The non-metropolitan county of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west Durham (ˈdʌrəm in RP, locally ˈdʏrəm is a small city and main settlement of the City of Durham district of County Durham, England In much of Britain coal was worked from drift mines, or scraped off when it outcropped on the surface. Drift mining is a method of accessing valuable geological material such as Coal, by cutting into the side of the earth rather than tunneling straight downwards (see Shaft Small groups of part-time miners used shovels and primitive equipment. Before 1800 a great deal of coal was left in places as extraction was still primitive. Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. As a result in the deep Tyneside pits (300 to 1,000 ft. Tyneside is a Conurbation in northern England, which is home to over 80% of the Metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear. deep) only about 40 percent of the coal could be extracted. The use of wooden pit props to support the roof was an innovation first introduced about 1800. The critical factor was circulation of air and control of dangerous explosive gases. At first fires were burned to create air currents and circulate air, but replaced by fans driven by steam engines. Protection for miners came with the invention of the Davy lamp and Geordie lamp, where any firedamp (or methane) burnt harmlessly within the lamp. The Davy lamp is a Safety lamp containing a candle devised in 1815 by Sir Humphry Davy. The Geordie lamp was invented by George Stephenson in 1815 as a solution to explosions due to Firedamp in Coal mines Although controversy arose Firedamp is a Flammable Gas found in coal mines. It is actually the name given to a number of flammable gases including Methane. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. It was achieved by restricting the ingress or air using either metal gauze or fine tubes, but the illumination from such lamps was very poor. Great efforts were made to develop better safe lamps, such as the Mueseler lamp produced in the Belgian pits near Liège. Liège (ljɛːʒ Older English: Luick, Walloon: Lidje, German: Lüttich; Latin: Leodium, Dutch

Coal was so abundant in Britain that the supply could be stepped up to meet the rapidly rising demand. About 1770-1780 the annual output of coal in was some 6¼ million tons (or about the output of a week and a half in the 20th century). Year 1770 ( MDCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Friday Year 1780 ( MDCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The twentieth century of the Common Era began on After 1790 output soared, reaching 16 million tons by 1815 at the height of the Napoleonic War. Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The miners, less menaced by imported labour or machines than were the cotton mill workers, had begun to form trade unions and fight their grim battle for wages against the coal owners and royalty-lessees. A cotton mill is a Factory housing spinning and Weaving Machinery Cotton was a leading sector in the Industrial Revolution, as cotton A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming ^[13]

Post 1900

Coal mining ad extraction passed into Government control in 1947, although coal had been a political issue since the early part of the 20th century. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. The National Coal Board (NCB was the Statutory Corporation created to run the nationalised Coal mining industry in Britain. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The need to maintain coal supplies (a primary energy source) had figured in both world wars. A world war is a War affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations ^[14]

As well as energy supply, coal in the UK became a very political issue, due to conditions under which colliers worked and the way they were treated by colliery owners. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The main labour union was the National Union of Mineworkers, founded in 1888, which claimed 600,000 members in 1908. See also the National Union of Mineworkers (South Africa. Template talkInfobox Union Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1908 ( MCMVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year

The UK General Strike of 1926 was in part due to concerns colliers had over very dangerous working conditions, reduced pay and longer shifts. The UK General Strike of 1926 was a General strike that lasted nine days from 3 May 1926 to 12 May 1926. Much of the 'old Left' of British politics can trace its origins to coal-mining areas.

Technological development throughout the 19th century and 20th century helped both to improve the safety of colliers and the productive capacity of collieries they worked. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on In the late 20th century, improved integration of coal extraction with bulk industries such as electrical generation helped coal maintain its position despite the emergence of alternative energies supplies such as oil, natural gas and, from the late 1950s, nuclear power used for electricity. An oil is a substance that is in a viscous Liquid state ( "oily") at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer and is Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive Nuclear power is any Nuclear technology designed to extract usable Energy from atomic nuclei via controlled Nuclear reactions More recently coal has faced competition from renewable energy sources and bio-fuels.

Post World War II, the coal industry in Britain was Nationalised, and remained in public ownership until the 1980s and the demise of the industry after the UK miners' strike (1984-1985). World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. The miners' strike of 1984 – 1985 was a major Industrial action affecting the British coal industry.

The 1980s and 1990s saw much change in the UK coal industry, with the industry contracting, in some areas quite drastically. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 Many pits were 'uneconomic' to work at current wage rates compared to 'cheap' North Sea oil and gas, and in comparison to subsidy levels in Europe. North Sea oil refers to oil and Natural gas ( Hydrocarbons produced from Oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea. This page is about the physical properties of gas as a state of matter The Miners' Strike of 1984 failed to stop the Conservative government's plans under Margaret Thatcher to shrink the industry. The miners' strike of 1984 – 1985 was a major Industrial action affecting the British coal industry. Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 The National Coal Board (by then British Coal), was privatised by selling off a large number of pits to private concerns through the mid 1990s, and the mining industry disappeared almost completely. The National Coal Board (NCB was the Statutory Corporation created to run the nationalised Coal mining industry in Britain. The British Coal Corporation was a Nationalised corporation in the United Kingdom responsible for the extraction of Coal. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 ^[15]

In January 2008, Wales's last deep pit mine, Tower Colliery in Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taf closed with the loss of 120 jobs. Tower Colliery was the oldest continuously worked deep- coal mine in the United Kingdom, and possibly the world and the only mine of its kind remaining in the Rhondda ('rɒnðɘ or Rhondda Valley ( Welsh: Cwm Rhondda) is a former coal-mining valley in Wales, consisting of 16 communities built around The coal was exhausted. ^[16]

However, coal is still mined extensively at a number of deep pits in the Midlands and the north, and is extracted at several very large opencast pits in South Wales and elsewhere. There are proposals to re-open several deep pits with Russian capital, owing to the soaring price of the commodity.

USA

Anthracite (or "hard" coal), clean and smokeless, became the preferred fuel in cities, replacing wood by about 1850. Anthracite ( Greek Ανθρακίτης literally "a type of coal" from Anthrax, coal is a hard compact variety of mineral Coal that has a high For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Anthracite from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Coal Region (and later from West Virginia) was typically used for household uses because it is a high quality coal with few impurities and stoves and furnaces were designed for it. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The Coal Region is a term used to refer to an area of Northeastern Pennsylvania in the central Appalachian Mountains comprising Lackawanna West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by The rich Pennsylvania anthracite fields were close to the big Eastern cities, and a few major railroads like the Reading Railroad controlled the anthracite fields. The Reading Company, usually called the Reading Railroad ( and officially known as the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and By 1840, hard coal output had passed the million-short ton mark, and then quadrupled by 1850. Year 1840 ( MDCCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year

Bituminous (or "soft coal") mining came later. In the mid-century Pittsburgh was the principal market. After 1850 soft coal, which is cheaper but dirtier, came into demand for railway locomotives and stationary steam engines, and was used to make coke for steel after 1870. A steam engine is a Heat engine that performs Mechanical work using Steam as its Working fluid. Coke is a solid Carbonaceous material derived from Destructive distillation of low-ash low-sulfur Bituminous coal. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[18]

Total coal output soared until 1918; before 1890, it doubled every ten years, going from 8. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common 4 million short tons in 1850 to 40 million in 1870, 270 million in 1900, and peaking at 680 million short tons in 1918. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar New soft coal fields opened in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, as well as West Virginia, Kentucky and Alabama. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. The Great Depression of the 1930s lowered the demand to 360 million short tons in 1932. The Great Depression in the United States began on "Black Tuesday" with the Wall Street crash of October 1929 and rapidly spread The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. ^[19]

Labor troubles

After the Lattimer Massacre of 1897 and the Battle of Virden in Illinois in 1898, the United Mine Workers (UMW) labor union was successful in its strike against bituminous coal mines in the Midwest in 1900. Lattimer massacre was an incident in which a sheriff's posse killed nineteen unarmed immigrant miners and wounded scores more Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Template talkInfobox Union for usage -->The United Mine Workers of America ( UMW or UMWA) is a North A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming Bituminous coal is a relatively soft Coal containing a tarlike substance called Bitumen. Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar However, the union's strike against the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania turned into a national political crisis in 1902. The Coal Strike of 1902 was a strike by the United Mine Workers of America in the Anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania. Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting President Theodore Roosevelt brokered a compromise solution that kept the flow of coal going, and won higher wages and shorter hours for the miners, but did not include recognition of the union as a bargaining agent. Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T

The UMW called strikes in Colorado's coal fields, one of which resulted in the Ludlow Massacre of 1914. Early coal mining in Colorado, a state of the United States was spread across the state The Ludlow massacre refers to the violent deaths of 20 people 11 of them children during an attack by the Colorado National Guard on a Tent colony of 1200 striking Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year ^[20] Neutralized by the dispatch of federal troops after ten days of skirmishes provoked by the massacre, the UMW essentially suspended most activities in Colorado for more than a decade. The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. Meanwhile the organization grew stronger in the east until about 1920, when it collapsed after a national strike. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar

In 1927, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) led a state-wide strike in Colorado's coalfields which resulted in the Columbine Mine Massacre. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Industrial Workers of the World ( IWW or the Wobblies) is an international union currently headquartered in Cincinnati Ohio, USA The first Columbine Massacre, sometimes called the Columbine Mine massacre to distinguish it from the Columbine High School massacre, occurred in 1927 when striking Immediately after that massacre, Rocky Mountain Fuel Company announced that it would recognize any union affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. The American Federation of Labor (AFL was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States In announcing this policy, the company avoided recognizing the radical IWW. ^[21] Thus, the United Mine Workers was awarded its first contract in Colorado.

Mechanization

Richard Sutcliffe invented the first conveyor belt for use in coal mines in the early 1900s. Richard Sutcliffe ( January 26 1849 - July 23 1930) was an Irish-born British mining engineer and inventor A belt conveyor consists of two or more Pulleys with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them Within the first forty years of the 20th century, there was an increase of over sixty percent in the amount of coal that was loaded mechanically rather than by man power¹. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Over time, less and less manual labour would be needed in the industry.

As this trend continued, the labor-intensive coal-mining methods that supported the miners declined. As the miners saw their livelihood taken away, resistance to mechanization grew. As noted in historian Keith Dix’s article, “What’s a Coal Miner to Do?” one of the first machines to arrive at West Virginia’s Kanawha field had to be escorted by armed guards. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Dix also writes that “The same machine introduced at a mine in Illinois was operated at a slow speed because the superintendent feared labor troubles. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. ” ¹

Despite resistance, mechanization replaced more and more laborers. By 1940, almost seventy percent of coal loaded in West Virginia, one of the largest coal producing states, was done by machine. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by ^[1] With the increase of mechanization came hard times for the former miners and their families. Many miners moved to the cities to find work.

Post-World War II

Under John L. Lewis, the UMW became the dominant force in the coal fields in the 1930s and 1940s, producing high wages and benefits. John Llewellyn Lewis ( February 12, 1880 &ndash June 11, 1969) was an American leader of organized labor who served as president of The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949 Events and trends The 1940s was a period between the radical 1930s and the conservative 1950s which also leads the period to be Repeated strikes caused the public to switch away from anthracite for home heating after 1945, and that sector collapsed. Anthracite ( Greek Ανθρακίτης literally "a type of coal" from Anthrax, coal is a hard compact variety of mineral Coal that has a high Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar ^[22]

Surface coal mining in Wyoming in the United States of America. The State of Wyoming ( is a sparsely populated state in the western region of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

In 1914 at the peak there were 180,000 anthracite miners; by 1970 only 6,000 remained. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At the same time steam engines were phased out in railways and factories, and bituminous was used primarily for the generation of electricity. A steam engine is a Heat engine that performs Mechanical work using Steam as its Working fluid. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. Bitumen is a mixture of organic Liquids that are highly Viscous, black sticky entirely soluble in Carbon disulfide, and composed primarily Employment in bituminous peaked at 705,000 men in 1923, falling to 140,000 by 1970 and 70,000 in 2003. Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Environmental restrictions on high-sulphur coal, and the rise of very large-scale strip mining in the west (especially the Powder River Basin fields in Wyoming and adjacent states), caused the sharp decline in underground mining after 1970. Surface mining is a type of Mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed The Powder River Basin is a region in southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming about east to west and north to south known for its Coal deposits The State of Wyoming ( is a sparsely populated state in the western region of the United States. UMW membership among active miners fell from 160,000 in 1980 to only 16,000 in 2005, as coal mining became more mechanized and non-union miners predominated in the new coal fields. The American share of world coal production remained steady at about 20% from 1980 to 2005.

Australia

In 1984 Australia surpassed the US as the world's largest coal exporter. One-third of Australia's coal exports were shipped from the Hunter River region of New South Wales, where coal mining and transport had begun nearly two centuries earlier. Coal River was the first name given by British settlers to the Hunter River after coal was found there in 1795. In 1804 the Sydney-based administration established a permanent convict settlement near the mouth of the Hunter River to mine and load the coal, predetermining the town's future as a coal port by naming it Newcastle. Today, Newcastle, NSW, is the largest coal port in the world.

Canada

Canada had a small coal industry concentrated at Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's At its peak in 1949 25,000 miners dug 17 million metric tons of coal from mines. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The miners, who lived in company towns, were politically active in left-wing politics. Westray Mine closed in 1992 after an explosion killed 26 miners. The Westray Mine was a Coal mine in Plymouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, which was the site of a Methane explosion in 1992 that killed 26 Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) All the mines were closed by 2001. The United States always supplied the coal for the industrial regions of Ontario. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec By 2000 about 19% of Canada's energy was supplied by coal, chiefly imported from the U. S.

Coal mines all shut down two years later due to an over-exportation crises in the West.

Colombia

Opencast coal mine at Cerrejón

Some of the world's largest coal reserves are located in South America, and an opencast at Cerrejón in Colombia is one of the world's largest open pit mines. Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Open-pit mining, also known as opencast mining and open-cut mining and strip mining, refers to a method of extracting rock or Minerals The output of the mine in 2004 was 24. 9 million tons (compared to total global hard coal production of 4,600 million tons). Cerrejón contributes about half of Colombia's coal exports of 52 million tons, with Colombia ranked sixth among major coal exporting nations. The company plans to expand production to 32 million tons by 2008. The company has its own 150km standard-gauge railroad, connecting the mine to its coal-loading terminal at Puerto Bolívar on the Caribbean coast. There are two 120-car unit trains, each carrying 12,000 tons of coal per trip. The round-trip time for each train, including loading and unloading, is about 12 hours. The coal facilities at the port are capable of loading 4,800 tons per hour on to vessels of up to 175,000 tons of dead weight. The mine, railroad and port operate 24 hours per day. Cerrejón directly employs 4,600 workers, with a further 3,800 employed by contractors. The reserves at Cerrejón are low-sulfur, low-ash, bituminous coal. The coal is mostly used for electric power generation, with some also used in steel manufacture. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 The surface mineable reserves for the current contract are 330 million tons. However, total proven reserves to a depth of 300 metres are 3,000 million tons.

Germany

The first important mines appeared in the 1750s, In 1782 the Krupp family began operations near Essen. Events and Trends Scientific Navigation is developed The Seven Years' War ( 1756 - 1763) fought between two rival alliances Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Krupp family, a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their Steel production and for their manufacture of Essen (ˈɛsən is a City in the center of the Ruhr Area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. After 1815 entrepreneurs in the Ruhr Area, which then became part of Prussia took advantage of the tariff zone (Zollverein) to open new mines and associated iron smelters. Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome The Ruhr Area, ( German Ruhrgebiet, colloquial Ruhrpott, Kohlenpott or Revier) is an Urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state The Zollverein or German Customs Union was formed among the majority of the states of the German Confederation in 1834 during the Industrial Revolution Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 New railroads were built by British engineers around 1850. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located An engineer is a person professionally engaged in a field of Engineering. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Numerous small industrial centres sprang up, focused on ironworks, using local coal. The iron and steel works typically bought mines, and erected coking ovens to supply their own requirements in coke and gas. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 Coke is a solid Carbonaceous material derived from Destructive distillation of low-ash low-sulfur Bituminous coal. An oven is an enclosed compartment for Heating, Baking or Drying. Coke may refer to Coke (fuel, a solid carbonaceous residue derived from destructive distillation of coal Petroleum coke, a solid carbon This page is about the physical properties of gas as a state of matter These integrated coal-iron firms ("Huettenzechen") became numerous after 1854; after 1900 they became mixed firms called "Konzern. Year 1854 ( MDCCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar "

The average output of a mine in 1850 was about 8,500 short tons; its employment about 64. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link By 1900, the average mine's output had risen to 280,000 and the employment to about 1,400. Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar Total Ruhr coal output rose from 2. The Ruhr is a medium-size River in western Germany ( North Rhine-Westphalia) a right tributary (east-side of the Rhine. 0 million short tons in 1850 to 22 in 1880, 60 in 1900, and 114 in 1913, on the verge of war. Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In 1932 output was down to 73 million short tons, growing to 130 in 1940. Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Output peaked in 1957 (at 123), declining to 78 million short tons in 1974. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ^[23]

Belgium

By 1830 when iron and later steel became important the Belgian coal industry had long been established, and used steam engines for pumping. For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those A steam engine is a Heat engine that performs Mechanical work using Steam as its Working fluid. The Belgian coalfield lay near the navigable River Meuse, so coal was shipped downstream to the ports and cities of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta. The Meuse (in Dutch and in German: "Maas" in Latin: "Mosa" in Celtic:"Mus" (the rootword presumingly The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge Meuse (møːz is a department in northeast France, named after the Meuse River. The Scheldt (Dutch Schelde, French Escaut, Latin Scaldis) is a 350 km[http //www The opening of the Saint-Quentin Canal allowed coal to go by barge to Paris. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The Belgian coalfield outcrops over most of its area, and the highly folded nature of the coal seams meant that surface occurrences of the coal were very abundant. Deep mines were not required at first so there were a large number of small operations. There was a complex legal system for concessions, often multiple layers had different owners. Entrepreneurs started going deeper and deeper (thanks to the good pumping system). An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome In 1790, the maximum depth of mines was 220 meters. Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year By 1856, the average depth in the area west of Mons was 361, and in 1866, 437 meters and some pits had reached down 700 and 900 meters; one was 1,065 meters deep, probably the deepest coal mine in Europe at this time. Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Mons ( Dutch: Bergen, Picard: Mont) is a Walloon City and municipality located in the Belgian Year 1866 ( MDCCCLXVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Gas explosions were a serious problem, and Belgium had high coal miner fatality rates. This page is about the physical properties of gas as a state of matter By the late 19th century the seams were becoming exhausted and the steel industry was importing some coal from the Ruhr. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The Ruhr is a medium-size River in western Germany ( North Rhine-Westphalia) a right tributary (east-side of the Rhine. ^[24]

Disasters

Mining has always been dangerous, because of explosions, roof cave-ins, and the difficulty of mines rescue. The worst single disaster in British coal mining history was at Senghenydd in the South Wales coalfield. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The Senghennydd Colliery Disaster, also known as the Senghenydd Explosion, occurred in Senghenydd, near Caerphilly, Glamorgan, South Wales The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of South Wales that is rich with Coal deposits On the morning of 14 October 1913 an explosion and subsequent fire killed 436 men and boys. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Only 72 bodies were recovered. It followed a series of many extensive Mining accidents in the Victorian era, such as The Oaks explosion of 1866 and the Hartley Colliery Disaster of 1862. A mining accident is an Accident that occurs in the process of Mining minerals Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities The Oaks explosion was one of the very worst Colliery disasters and Mining accidents in the United Kingdom. The Hartley Colliery Disaster was a major Mining accident or Disaster in Northumberland, England in 1862. Most of the explosions were caused by firedamp ignitions followed by coal dust explosions. Firedamp is a Flammable Gas found in coal mines. It is actually the name given to a number of flammable gases including Methane. Coal dust is a fine powdered form of Coal, which is created by the crushing grinding or pulverizing of coal An explosion is a sudden increase in Volume and release of Energy in an extreme manner usually with the generation of high Temperatures and the release Deaths were mainly caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, although at Hartley colliery, where the victims were entombed when the single shaft was blocked by a broken cast iron beam from the haulage engine, death occurred by asphyxiation. Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO is a colorless odorless tasteless yet highly toxic Gas.

The Monongah Mine disaster of Monongah, West Virginia 6 December 1907 was the worst of many mining disasters in American history. The Monongah Mine disaster of Monongah, West Virginia took place on December 6, 1907 and has been described as "the worst mining disaster Monongah is a town in Marion County, West Virginia along the West Fork River. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year A mining accident is an Accident that occurs in the process of Mining minerals The explosion was caused by the ignition of methane gas (also called "firedamp"), which in turn ignited the coal dust. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. Firedamp is a Flammable Gas found in coal mines. It is actually the name given to a number of flammable gases including Methane. The lives of 362 men were lost in the underground explosion.

Notes

Bibliography

Britain

• Carolyn Baylies; The History of the Yorkshire Miners, 1881-1918 Routledge, 1993
• John Benson; British Coal-Miners in the Nineteenth Century: A Social History Holmes & Meier, 1980 online
• Robert W Dron. The economics of coal mining (1928)
• B. Fine. The Coal Question: Political Economy and Industrial Change from the Nineteenth Century to the Present Day (1990)
• Michael W. Flinn, and David Stoker. History of the British Coal Industry: Volume 2. 1700-1830: The Industrial Revolution (1984)
• Robert Lindsay Galloway. A history of coal mining in Great Britain
• Hatcher, John. The History of the British Coal Industry: Volume 1: Before 1700: Towards the Age of Coal (1993)
• Margot Heinemann. Britain's coal: A study of the mining crisis (1944)
• Edward Hull. The Coal-fields of Great Britain: Their History, Structure and Resources: With Descriptions 1905
• James Alan Jaffe. The Struggle for Market Power: Industrial Relations in the British Coal Industry, 1800-1840 (2003)
• W. Stanley Jevons, The Coal Question: An Inquiry Concerning the Progress of the Nation, and the Probable Exhaustion of Our Coal Mines (1906). online edition

United States

Pre-World War II Mechanization

• ^  Green, James R. , The Business History Review-Book Review: What's a Coal Miner to Do? The Mechanization of Coal Mining by Keith Dix, (Harvard College: The President and Fellowes of Harvard College, Spring 1991), 183-185
• ^  Myers, Mark, “Coal Mechanization and Migration from McDowell County, West Virginia, 1932-1970: A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of History East Tennessee State University,” (August 2001), 1-4, 67-60

Industry

• Sean Patrick Adams, . "The US Coal Industry in the Nineteenth Century." EH. Net Encyclopedia, August 15, 2001 scholarly overview
• Sean Patrick Adams, Old Dominion, Industrial Commonwealth: Coal, Politics, and Economy in Antebellum America. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.
• Frederick Moore Binder, Coal Age Empire: Pennsylvania Coal and Its Utilization to 1860. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1974.
• Alfred Chandler, . "Anthracite Coal and the Beginnings of the ‘Industrial Revolution' in the United States", Business History Review 46 (1972): 141-181.
• Carmen. , DiCiccio, Coal and Coke in Pennsylvania. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1996
• Phil Conley, History of West Virginia Coal Industry (Charleston: Education Foundation, 1960)
• Howard Eavenson, . The First Century and a Quarter of the American Coal Industry 1942.
• Verla R. Flores and A. Dudley Gardner. Forgotten Frontier: A History of Wyoming Coal Mining (1989)
• Fred J. Lauver, "A Walk Through the Rise and Fall of Anthracite Might", Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine 27#1 (2001) online edition
• Priscilla Long, Where the Sun Never Shines: A History of America's Bloody Coal Industry Paragon, 1989.
• Robert H. Nelson. The Making of Federal Coal Policy (1983)
• Bruce C. Netschert and Sam H. Schurr, Energy in the American Economy, 1850-1975: An Economic Study of Its History and Prospects. (1960) online
• Glen Lawhon Parker, The Coal Industry: A Study in Social Control (Washington: American Council on Public Affairs, 1940)
• H. Benjamin Powell, Philadelphia's First Fuel Crisis. Jacob Cist and the Developing Market for Pennsylvania Anthracite. The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1978.
• Dan Rottenberg, In the Kingdom of Coal: An American Family and the Rock That Changed the World (2003), owners' perspective
• Sam H. Schurr, and Bruce C. Netschert. Energy in the American Economy, 1850-1975: An Economic Study of Its History and Prospects. Johns Hopkins Press, 1960.
• United States Anthracite Coal Strike Commission, 1902-1903, Report to the President on the Anthracite Coal Strike of May-October, 1902 By United States Anthracite Coal Strike (1903) online edition
• Richard H. K. Vietor and Martin V. Melosi; Environmental Politics and the Coal Coalition Texas A&M University Press, 1980 online
• Kenneth Warren, Triumphant Capitalism: Henry Clay Frick and the Industrial Transformation of America. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1996.

Coal miners and unions

• Harold W Aurand. Coalcracker Culture: Work and Values in Pennsylvania Anthracite, 1835-1935 2003
• Morton S. Baratz, The Union and the Coal Industry (Yale University Press, 1955)
• Perry Blatz, Democratic Miners: Work and Labor Relations in the Anthracite Coal Industry, 1875-1925. Albany: SUNY Press, 1994.
• David Alan Corbin, Life, Work, and Rebellion in the Coal Fields: The Southern West Virginia Miners, 1880-1922 (1981)
• Keith Dix, What's a Coal Miner to Do? The Mechanization of Coal Mining (1988), changes in the coal industry prior to 1940
• Melvyn Dubofsky and Warren Van Tine, John L. Lewis: A Biography (1977), leader of Mine Workers union, 1920-1960
• Coal Mines Administration, U. S, Department Of The Interior. A Medical Survey of the Bituminous-Coal Industry. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1947. online
• Ronald D, Eller. Miners, Millhands, and Mountaineers: Industrialization of the Appalachian South, 1880–1930 1982.
• Price V. Fishback. Soft Coal, Hard Choices: The Economic Welfare of Bituminous Coal Miners, 1890-1930 (1992)
• Jonathan Grossman "The Coal Strike of 1902 – Turning Point in U.S. Policy" Monthly Labor Review October 1975. online
• Katherine Harvey, The Best Dressed Miners: Life and Labor in the Maryland Coal Region, 1835-1910. Cornell University Press, 1993.
• A. F. Hinrichs; The United Mine Workers of America, and the Non-Union Coal Fields Columbia University, 1923 online
• Herman R. Lantz; People of Coal Town Columbia University Press, 1958; on southern Illinois; online
• John H. M. Laslett, ed. The United Mine Workers: A Model of Industrial Solidarity? Penn State University Press, 1996.
• Ronald L. Lewis. Black Coal Miners in America: Race, Class, and Community Conflict. University Press of Kentucky, 1987.
• Richard D. Lunt, Law and Order vs. the Miners: West Virginia, 1907-1933 Archon Books, 1979, On labor conflicts of the early twentieth century.
• Edward A. Lynch and David J. McDonald. Coal and Unionism: A History of the American Coal Miners' Unions (1939)
• Phelan, Craig. Divided Loyalties: The Public and Private Life of Labor Leader John Mitchell (1994)
• Jörg Rössel, Industrial Structure, Union Strategy and Strike Activity in Bituminous Coal Mining, 1881 - 1894, in: Social Science History 26 (2002): 1 - 32.
• Curtis Seltzer, Fire in the Hole: Miners and Managers in the American Coal Industry University Press of Kentucky, 1985, conflict in the coal industry to the 1980s.
• Joe William Trotter Jr. , Coal, Class, and Color: Blacks in Southern West Virginia, 1915-32 (1990)
• U. S. Immigration Commission, Report on Immigrants in Industries, Part I: Bituminous Coal Mining, 2 vols. Senate Document no. 633, 61st Cong. , 2nd sess. (1911)
• Anthony F. C. Wallace, St. Clair. A Nineteenth-Century Coal Town's Experience with a Disaster-Prone Industry. Knopf, 1981.
• Robert D. Ward and William W. Rogers, Labor Revolt in Alabama: The Great Strike of 1894 University of Alabama Press, 1965 online coal strike

World

• Dorian, James P. Minerals, Energy, and Economic Development in China Clarendon Press, 1994
• Ebrey, Walthall, Palais (2006). East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0-618-13384-4.
• David Frank, J. B. McLachlan: A Biography: The Story of a Legendary Labour Leader and the Cape Breton Coal Miners, (1999), in Canada
• Barbara Freese. Coal: A Human History (2003)
• Jeffrey, E. C. Coal and Civilization 1925.
• Nimura Kazuo, Andrew Gordon, and Terry Boardman; The Ashio Riot of 1907: A Social History of Mining in Japan Duke University Press, 1997
• Martin F. Parnell; The German Tradition of Organized Capitalism: Self-Government in the Coal Industry Oxford University Press Inc., 1998 online
• Marsden, Susan, 'Coals to Newcastle: a History of Coal Loading at the Port of Newcastle, New South Wales 1797-1997' (2002) ISBN 0-9578961-9-0.
• Norman J. G. Pounds and William N. Parker; Coal and Steel in Western Europe; the Influence of Resources and Techniques on Production Indiana University Press, 1957 online
• Norman J. G. Pounds "An Historical Geography of Europe, 1800-1914 (1993)
• Norman J. G. Pounds. The Ruhr: A Study in Historical and Economic Geography (1952) online
• Huaichuan Rui; Globalisation, Transition and Development in China: The Case of the Coal Industry Routledge, 2004 online
• Elspeth Thomson; The Chinese Coal Industry: An Economic History Routledge 2003 online.
• World Coal Institute. The Coal Resource (2005) covers all aspects of the coal industry in 48 pp; online version

See also

• coal mining
• mining disasters

External links

• "Illawarra Coal" - An unofficial history of coal mining in the Illawarra region of Australia
• Encyclopedia britannica 11th ed 1913
• World Coal Institute on current issues
• Abandoned mine Research
• Mining History Network numerous links (many are broken)
• Coal mining in Wales
• Down the Mine — George Orwell essay on a visit to a coal mine. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. A mining accident is an Accident that occurs in the process of Mining minerals Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950 who used the Pseudonym George Orwell, was an English writer
• Workplace Fatality’s & the Aftermath United Support & Memorial for Workplace Fatalities
• Workplace Fatality’s & the Aftermath Weekly Toll Blog