Quick answer
No of the mines are underground and one is a surface mine, and they produced subbituminous coal.[1]
| Borough or area | Mines | Underground / surface | Short tons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denali Borough | 1 | 0 / 1 | 1,003,565 |
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] Alaska 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]
The first coal mine in Alaska was opened by the Russian-American Company in 1855 near Port Graham on the Kenai Peninsula.[6]
Significant coal mining in Alaska began in 1917, after construction of the Alaska Railroad began in 1916.[7]
Alaska coal production reached its first major peak in 1966, at over 927,000 short tons.[6]
Subbituminous coal came mostly from Wyoming, followed by Montana, New Mexico, Colorado and Alaska.[3]
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.
Alaska had one producing coal mine in one borough in 2024, which together produced 1,003,565 short tons of coal, according to mine-level data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Coal Report for 2024.[1]
The mine is in Denali Borough.[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.
Alaska 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]
[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] Public-data File 86-66: Chronicle of Alaska Coal-Mining History (Merritt, 1986) — Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (accessed November 2, 2026)
[7] Selected Coal Deposits in Alaska (U.S. Bureau of Mines Open File Report 33-90; hosted by Alaska DGGS) — U.S. Bureau of Mines (hosted by Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys) (accessed November 2, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.
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