POWDER RIVER COAL COMPANY
GILLETTE, WYOMING
Powder River Coal Company in Gillette, Wyoming, is the second largest coal
producing company in the United States. Powder River Coal Company owns and
operates four surface mines in the Powder
River Basin of Wyoming. Together, the four mines control 2.5 billion
tons of recoverable coal. The coal seams at
the four mines range from 65 feet to over 100 feet thick.
These mines produce coal with high Btu's, low
sulfur, and low ash, which means that much of the coal produced is compliant
with the Clean Air Act. When coal is burned
to produce electricity, the sulfur content combines with oxygen to make
sulfur dioxide. The greater the sulfur content of the coal, the greater
quantity of sulfur dioxide that is formed. When sulfur dioxide is emitted
into the atmosphere, it can become part of the chemical cycle that produces
acid rain. Because Powder River coal has such a low sulphur content, it
is in demand for use by electric power companies all over the United States.
More coal is produced in the state of Wyoming than in any other state in
the United States. According to the Gillette, Wyoming Convention and Visitor's
Bureau, Wyoming's Powder River Basin
produces one-fifth of all the coal produced in the United States annually.
One of the reasons is because of the low sulfur content of the coal found
in the Powder River Basin.
In the United States, coal adds $81 billion a year to the economy and more
than one million jobs for Americans. Coal is a major industry and generates
over 55 percent of America's electric power. Coal is the power behind your
electricity. Every time you turn on a light or turn on your computer, it
is possible that you are using coal, maybe even Powder River Coal.
How is COAL FORMED?
What are the TYPES OF COAL?
How does Powder River Coal Company MINE THE
COAL?
What kind of EQUIPMENT does Powder River Coal
Company use to mine the coal?
What kind of CAREERS are there in the surface
coal mining business?
Learn about the ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES of coal
mining, including the Clean Air Act and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation
Act.
Visit Powder River Coal Company's coal mines:
Credits
If you have any questions or comments about the Powder River
Coal Company pages contact Pat Hopkins. Click
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