Quick answer
Two of the mines are underground and eight are surface mines, and they produced bituminous coal.[1] Harrison County, Noble County and Belmont County produced the most coal in Ohio in 2024.[1]
| County | Mines | Underground / surface | Short tons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County | 5 | 2 / 3 | 1,008,168 |
| Noble County | 1 | 0 / 1 | 365,626 |
| Belmont County | 1 | 0 / 1 | 343,374 |
| Athens County | 1 | 0 / 1 | 58,839 |
| Tuscarawas County | 2 | 0 / 2 | 19,092 |
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] Ohio 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 mining in Ohio began around 1800, and until World War I it was conducted almost entirely underground and largely by manual labor.[6]
Ohio's first state law regulating coal mining, the Strip Coal Mining Act, took effect in 1947.[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.[2]
Ohio's dormant mineral act does not treat a mineral interest in coal as abandoned; where an interest includes coal and other minerals, only the interests that are not in coal may be deemed abandoned.[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.
Ohio had 10 producing coal mines in five counties in 2024, which together produced 1,795,099 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 Harrison County (1,008,168 short tons), Noble County (365,626 short tons), Belmont County (343,374 short tons), Athens County (58,839 short tons) and Tuscarawas County (19,092 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.
Ohio 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 mining in Ohio began around 1800, and until World War I it was conducted almost entirely underground and largely by manual labor.[6] Ohio's first state law regulating coal mining, the Strip Coal Mining Act, took effect in 1947.[6]
Ohio's dormant mineral act does not treat a mineral interest in coal as abandoned; where an interest includes coal and other minerals, only the interests that are not in coal may be deemed abandoned.[7]
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] History of Coal Mining and Regulation in Ohio — Ohio Department of Natural Resources (accessed November 2, 2026)
[7] Ohio Revised Code Section 5301.56: Mineral interests - vesting in surface owner — Ohio Legislative Service Commission (codes.ohio.gov) (accessed November 2, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.
Get a Free Written Offer