Quick answer
Four of the mines are underground and four are surface mines, and they produced bituminous and subbituminous coal.[1] Moffat County, Gunnison County and Rio Blanco County produced the most coal in Colorado in 2024.[1]
| County | Mines | Underground / surface | Short tons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moffat County | 4 | 0 / 4 | 5,200,895 |
| Gunnison County | 1 | 1 / 0 | 3,705,019 |
| Rio Blanco County | 1 | 1 / 0 | 1,907,363 |
| Routt County | 1 | 1 / 0 | 995,706 |
| La Plata County | 1 | 1 / 0 | 582,342 |
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] Colorado 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 Colorado since 1864, and smaller amounts were mined as far back as 1859.[6]
Colorado coal production expanded in the 1860s and 1870s with the demands of the Colorado Gold Rush.[6]
Anthracite occurs in Gunnison and Pitkin counties, and lignite is found in the Denver Formation in the Denver Coal Region.[6]
The Western coal region includes Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado and other states, and surface mines produce most of its coal.[2]
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.
Colorado had eight producing coal mines in five counties in 2024, which together produced 12,391,325 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 Moffat County (5,200,895 short tons), Gunnison County (3,705,019 short tons), Rio Blanco County (1,907,363 short tons), Routt County (995,706 short tons) and La Plata County (582,342 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.
Colorado 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]
Selling Coal Mineral Rights and Coal Royalties
[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] Coal — Colorado Geological Survey (accessed November 2, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.
Get a Free Written Offer