Surface mining after 1950

In 1949, underground coal mines accounted for about 75% of U.S. production, and as late as 1967 underground mines still produced 62% of the nation's coal. In the 1970s, as huge new surface mines opened in Wyoming's Powder River Basin and dedicated coal trains began to transport coal to power plants outside the region, the share of surface mining rapidly increased. In 2009, 69.1% of U.S. coal production came from surface mining. Overall, during the period 1949-2009, 26.1 billion tons has been produced at surface mines, or 55.1% of the 47.3 billion tons mined during the period.

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