Quick answer
The producing mines are one underground mine and nine surface mines.[1] They produced bituminous coal, and EIA places them in the Appalachia Central coal supply region.[1] Mines in the county produced 1,861,851 short tons in 2023, so output fell by about 26 percent in 2024.[1]
| Mine | Type | Coal rank | Short tons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Ridge P-1 | Surface | Bituminous | 310,570 |
| Shm-70 | Surface | Bituminous | 268,794 |
| Meadow Branch | Surface | Bituminous | 250,705 |
| Trace Fork | Surface | Bituminous | 183,692 |
| Defeated Creek | Surface | Bituminous | 168,576 |
| Deadening Branch | Surface | Bituminous | 77,420 |
| Trace Fork #2 | Underground | Bituminous | 60,089 |
| No 3 | Surface | Bituminous | 51,841 |
| No. 4 | Surface | Bituminous | 8,141 |
| Auger #38 | Surface | Bituminous | 2,290 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Coal Report mine-level data for 2024, released November 19, 2025. Data compiled November 1, 2026.
Surface mining is often used when coal is less than 200 feet underground, and underground mining is used when coal lies deeper.[2] Bituminous coal is the most abundant rank found in the United States, and lignite has the lowest energy content.[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] Kentucky 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]
Kentucky's Constitution distinguishes instruments that sever the surface and mineral estates, instruments that grant a mineral estate, and instruments that grant a right to extract minerals.[6]
Under Kentucky's Constitution, a severance instrument that does not state the method of coal extraction is read, absent clear and convincing evidence otherwise, to allow only the methods commonly in use in the area when it was signed.[6]
The Appalachian coal region includes Alabama, eastern Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, and underground mines supply most of its coal.[7]
The Interior coal region includes Illinois, Indiana and western Kentucky among other states, and Illinois is its top producer.[7]
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.
Letcher County, Kentucky had 10 producing coal mines in 2024, which produced 1,382,118 short tons of coal, according to mine-level data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Coal Report for 2024.[1] Mines in the county produced 1,861,851 short tons in 2023, so output fell by about 26 percent in 2024.[1]
The mines that produced the most coal were River Ridge P-1 (surface, 310,570 short tons), Shm-70 (surface, 268,794 short tons), Meadow Branch (surface, 250,705 short tons), Trace Fork (surface, 183,692 short tons) and Defeated Creek (surface, 168,576 short tons).[1] The next were Deadening Branch (surface, 77,420 short tons), Trace Fork #2 (underground, 60,089 short tons) and No 3 (surface, 51,841 short tons), plus two more in the table above.[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.
The producing mines are one underground mine and nine surface mines.[1] Surface mining is often used when coal is less than 200 feet underground, and underground mining is used when coal lies deeper.[2]
Kentucky 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]
Nearby Kentucky counties with producing coal mines include Harlan County (2,350,532 short tons in 2024), Clay County (9,387 short tons in 2024), Leslie County (565,831 short tons in 2024), Perry County (1,531,886 short tons in 2024) and Knott County (393,457 short tons in 2024).[1]
Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Kentucky
Selling Coal Mineral Rights and Coal Royalties
Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Harlan County
Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Clay County
Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Leslie County
[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: Coal mining and transportation — 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] Constitution of Kentucky, Section 19 — Kentucky General Assembly, Legislative Research Commission (accessed November 1, 2026)
[7] Coal explained: Where our coal comes from — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.
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