# Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Big Horn County, Montana

> Big Horn County, Montana: two producing coal mines, 13,937,531 short tons in 2024. Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.

- URL: https://www.buckheadenergy.com/coal-mineral-rights/montana/big-horn
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Publisher: Buckhead Energy (https://www.buckheadenergy.com/)
- Format: full-content Markdown twin of the page (same content as the HTML; site navigation and footer removed)

Breadcrumb: [Home](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/) › [Selling Coal Mineral Rights and Coal Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/coal-mineral-rights) › [Montana](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/coal-mineral-rights/montana) › Big Horn County

Quick answer

Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties. Big Horn County, Montana had two producing coal mines in 2024, which produced 13,937,531 short tons of coal, according to mine-level data in the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Coal Report for 2024.

## Producing coal mines in Big Horn County

The producing mines are two surface mines.^\[1\] They produced subbituminous coal, and EIA places them in the Powder River Basin coal supply region.^\[1\] Mines in the county produced 14,491,356 short tons in 2023, so output fell by about 4 percent in 2024.^\[1\]

| Mine | Type | Coal rank | Short tons, 2024 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Spring Creek Mine | Surface | Subbituminous | 13,053,955 |
| Absaloka Mine | Surface | Subbituminous | 883,576 |

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Coal Report mine-level data for 2024, released November 19, 2025. Data compiled November 1, 2026.

## What the data means for coal owners in Big Horn County

Surface mining is often used when coal is less than 200 feet underground, and underground mining is used when coal lies deeper.^\[2\] 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.^\[3\] Montana 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.^\[4\]

## Coal rights in Montana

The Western coal region includes Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado and other states, and surface mines produce most of its coal.^\[5\]

Subbituminous coal came mostly from Wyoming, followed by Montana, New Mexico, Colorado and Alaska.^\[6\]

Lignite was produced in five states in 2022, led by North Dakota and Texas, with smaller amounts from Mississippi, Louisiana and Montana.^\[6\]

## What you sell and what you keep

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.^\[3\] 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.^\[3\]

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.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much coal did Big Horn County, Montana produce in 2024?

Big Horn County, Montana had two producing coal mines in 2024, which produced 13,937,531 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 14,491,356 short tons in 2023, so output fell by about 4 percent in 2024.^\[1\]

### Which coal mines produced coal in Big Horn County in 2024?

The mines were Spring Creek Mine (surface, 13,053,955 short tons) and Absaloka Mine (surface, 883,576 short tons).^\[1\]

### Can I sell coal mineral rights or coal royalties in Big Horn County?

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.

### Are the coal mines in Big Horn County surface or underground mines?

The producing mines are two 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.^\[2\]

### Who regulates coal mining in Montana?

Montana 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.^\[4\]

### Which nearby Montana counties also have producing coal mines?

Nearby Montana counties with producing coal mines include Rosebud County (5,978,039 short tons in 2024) and Musselshell County (7,067,888 short tons in 2024).^\[1\]

## Related pages

[Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Montana](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/coal-mineral-rights/montana)

[Selling Coal Mineral Rights and Coal Royalties](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/coal-mineral-rights)

[Oil and gas mineral rights in Big Horn County, Montana](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/montana/bighorn)

[Mineral rights in Montana](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/mineral-rights/montana)

[Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Rosebud County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/coal-mineral-rights/montana/rosebud)

[Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Musselshell County](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/coal-mineral-rights/montana/musselshell)

## Sources

\[1\] [Annual Coal Report, mine-level production (2024 data, released November 19, 2025)](https://www.eia.gov/coal/data.php) — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)

\[2\] [Coal explained: Coal mining and transportation](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/coal/mining-and-transportation.php) — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)

\[3\] [Iaeger Energy Development, LLC v. Moore, No. 18-0409 (memorandum decision, Jan. 13, 2020)](https://www.courtswv.gov/sites/default/pubfilesmnt/2023-12/18-0409memo.pdf) — Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia (accessed November 1, 2026)

\[4\] [Regulating Active Coal Mines](https://www.osmre.gov/programs/regulating-active-coal-mines) — Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (accessed November 1, 2026)

\[5\] [Coal explained: Where our coal comes from](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/coal/where-our-coal-comes-from.php) — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)

\[6\] [Coal explained](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/coal/) — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)

## Ready to Sell Your Coal Mineral Rights or Royalties?

Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.

[Get a Free Written Offer](https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell#inquiry:source=%2Fcoal-mineral-rights%2Fmontana%2Fbig-horn&county=Big+Horn+County)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Are the coal mines in Big Horn County surface or underground mines?**
The producing mines are two surface mines. Surface mining is often used when coal is less than 200 feet underground, and underground mining is used when coal lies deeper.

## About Buckhead Energy
Buckhead Energy is a direct buyer, not a broker — we purchase mineral and royalty interests with our own capital. Buckhead Energy buys mineral and royalty interests across all 50 states and has completed acquisitions in 33 states. Buckhead Energy has been buying mineral and royalty interests since 2006. Buckhead Energy holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Buckhead provides a free written offer. Buckhead Energy typically provides an offer within 24–48 hours. Closings typically take 30–45 days, subject to title review and clearance. Buckhead Energy's written offers stay open for 14 days.

**Sell mineral rights:** https://www.buckheadenergy.com/sell
**Operator directory:** https://www.buckheadenergy.com/operators