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Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

Quick answer

Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties. Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania had 19 producing coal mines in 2024, which produced 1,726,677 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 Schuylkill County

The producing mines are three underground mines and 16 surface mines.[1] They produced anthracite coal, and EIA places them in the Appalachia Northern coal supply region.[1] Mines in the county produced 1,675,695 short tons in 2023, so output rose by about 3 percent in 2024.[1]

MineTypeCoal rankShort tons, 2024
Buck Run P-8 P-10SurfaceAnthracite360,407
Tamaqua MineSurfaceAnthracite287,470
Ellangowan StrippingSurfaceAnthracite241,709
Wadesville P-33SurfaceAnthracite193,269
Primrose OperationSurfaceAnthracite160,725
Good Spring SouthSurfaceAnthracite142,196
BrownsvilleSurfaceAnthracite115,720
Continental StripSurfaceAnthracite59,274
R S & W DriftUndergroundAnthracite32,588
Park Mine Coal CompanySurfaceAnthracite29,370
Sherman Mountain Coal StripSurfaceAnthracite26,868
E O J Strip MineSurfaceAnthracite19,825
Kuperavage Ent Inc/Ta TuscarorSurfaceAnthracite17,850
Buck Mountain StrippingSurfaceAnthracite14,300
Serill StripSurfaceAnthracite11,416
Slope #1UndergroundAnthracite5,763
K K StripSurfaceAnthracite4,336
Slope #2UndergroundAnthracite3,322
Jett #2 StrippingSurfaceAnthracite269

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 Schuylkill County

Surface mining is often used when coal is less than 200 feet underground, and underground mining is used when coal lies deeper.[2] Anthracite generally has the highest heating value of the ranks, and all U.S. anthracite mines are in northeastern Pennsylvania.[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] Pennsylvania 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 rights in Pennsylvania

Anthracite generally has the highest heating value of the ranks, and all U.S. anthracite mines are in northeastern Pennsylvania.[3]

Pennsylvania's Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act requires an underground mine operator who affects a public or private water supply to restore or replace it.[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]

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.[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.

Frequently asked questions

How much coal did Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania produce in 2024?

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania had 19 producing coal mines in 2024, which produced 1,726,677 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 1,675,695 short tons in 2023, so output rose by about 3 percent in 2024.[1]

Which coal mines produced coal in Schuylkill County in 2024?

The mines that produced the most coal were Buck Run P-8 P-10 (surface, 360,407 short tons), Tamaqua Mine (surface, 287,470 short tons), Ellangowan Stripping (surface, 241,709 short tons), Wadesville P-33 (surface, 193,269 short tons) and Primrose Operation (surface, 160,725 short tons).[1] The next were Good Spring South (surface, 142,196 short tons), Brownsville (surface, 115,720 short tons) and Continental Strip (surface, 59,274 short tons), plus 11 more in the table above.[1]

Can I sell coal mineral rights or coal royalties in Schuylkill 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 Schuylkill County surface or underground mines?

The producing mines are three underground mines and 16 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 Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania 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]

Which nearby Pennsylvania counties also have producing coal mines?

Nearby Pennsylvania counties with producing coal mines include Columbia County (102,268 short tons in 2024), Carbon County (318,818 short tons in 2024), Northumberland County (405,348 short tons in 2024), Dauphin County (10,024 short tons in 2024) and Luzerne County (389,448 short tons in 2024).[1]

Related pages

Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Pennsylvania

Selling Coal Mineral Rights and Coal Royalties

Mineral rights in Pennsylvania

Wind Royalties and Lease Payments in Schuylkill County

Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Columbia County

Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Carbon County

Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Northumberland County

Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Dauphin County

Coal Mineral Rights and Royalties in Luzerne County

Sources

[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] Surface Owner Rights and Responsibilities Summary: Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act — Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (accessed November 1, 2026)

[7] Coal explained: Where our coal comes from — U.S. Energy Information Administration (accessed November 1, 2026)

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