Quick answer
Eight of the mines are underground and 10 are surface mines, and they produced bituminous coal.[1] Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County and Walker County produced the most coal in Alabama in 2024.[1]
| County | Mines | Underground / surface | Short tons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 5 | 3 / 2 | 8,424,589 |
| Tuscaloosa County | 7 | 3 / 4 | 3,575,555 |
| Walker County | 4 | 2 / 2 | 2,346,763 |
| Bibb County | 1 | 0 / 1 | 34,001 |
| Shelby County | 1 | 0 / 1 | 1,457 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Coal Report mine-level data for 2024, released November 19, 2025. Data compiled November 1, 2026.
U.S. coal is mainly found in three regions: the Appalachian coal region, the Interior coal region and the Western coal region, which includes the Powder River Basin.[2] Coal is classified into four main ranks: anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous and lignite.[3] The coal leases in a 2020 West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals decision carried a tonnage royalty, a minimum annual royalty and a fixed term of years.[4] Alabama is one of the 24 states with an approved coal regulatory program, so the state is the primary regulator of coal mining there and handles permitting, inspection and enforcement, with oversight from the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.[5]
Coal has been mined commercially in Alabama since the 1850s and supported the development of the state's iron and steel industry.[6]
Coal was mined on a small scale in Bibb, Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa and Walker counties in the 1820s and 1830s, and the first government statement of Alabama coal production appears in the 1840 U.S. Census.[7]
The Appalachian coal region includes Alabama, eastern Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, and underground mines supply most of its coal.[2]
What Buckhead buys depends on the deal, and Buckhead tells the seller up front which interest it is offering to buy — for example, the payments for the rest of the current lease term, a term easement, or a longer-term interest. The coal leases in a 2020 West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals decision carried a tonnage royalty, a minimum annual royalty and a fixed term of years.[4] Coal rights can also be divided by seam: in one West Virginia case, the leases covered all the coal in all seams above a named seam on the leased tracts.[4]
Educational information only — not legal, tax, or investment advice. The figures are public reference data, not a valuation or appraisal of any interest. Consult a qualified attorney, CPA, or landman about your specific situation.
Alabama had 18 producing coal mines in five counties in 2024, which together produced 14,382,365 short tons of coal, according to mine-level data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Coal Report for 2024.[1]
By 2024 production, the leading counties are Jefferson County (8,424,589 short tons), Tuscaloosa County (3,575,555 short tons), Walker County (2,346,763 short tons), Bibb County (34,001 short tons) and Shelby County (1,457 short tons).[1]
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties. What Buckhead buys depends on the deal, and Buckhead tells the seller up front which interest it is offering to buy — for example, the payments for the rest of the current lease term, a term easement, or a longer-term interest.
Alabama is one of the 24 states with an approved coal regulatory program, so the state is the primary regulator of coal mining there and handles permitting, inspection and enforcement, with oversight from the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.[5]
Coal has been mined commercially in Alabama since the 1850s and supported the development of the state's iron and steel industry.[6] Coal was mined on a small scale in Bibb, Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa and Walker counties in the 1820s and 1830s, and the first government statement of Alabama coal production appears in the 1840 U.S. Census.[7]
[1] Annual Coal Report, mine-level production (2024 data, released November 19, 2025) — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)
[2] Coal explained: Where our coal comes from — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)
[3] Coal explained — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)
[4] Iaeger Energy Development, LLC v. Moore, No. 18-0409 (memorandum decision, Jan. 13, 2020) — Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia (accessed November 1, 2026)
[5] Regulating Active Coal Mines — Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (accessed November 1, 2026)
[6] Alabama: Profile Analysis — U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (accessed November 2, 2026)
[7] Alabama Mine Map Repository: Directory of Underground Mine Maps (2013) — Alabama Department of Labor, Inspections Division (Abandoned Mine Land Program) (accessed November 2, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.
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