Quick answer
67 of the mines are underground and 97 are surface mines, and they produced bituminous coal.[1] Marshall County, Logan County and Raleigh County produced the most coal in West Virginia in 2024.[1]
| County | Mines | Underground / surface | Short tons, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County | 2 | 2 / 0 | 14,558,969 |
| Logan County | 33 | 13 / 20 | 9,893,850 |
| Raleigh County | 15 | 6 / 9 | 7,089,255 |
| Wyoming County | 23 | 8 / 15 | 6,672,098 |
| Ohio County | 1 | 1 / 0 | 6,030,327 |
| Marion County | 2 | 1 / 1 | 5,811,906 |
| Wetzel County | 1 | 1 / 0 | 5,579,207 |
| Taylor County | 1 | 1 / 0 | 3,650,142 |
| Barbour County | 2 | 2 / 0 | 3,443,676 |
| Boone County | 11 | 5 / 6 | 2,952,857 |
| Kanawha County | 7 | 4 / 3 | 2,939,869 |
| Fayette County | 12 | 3 / 9 | 2,933,473 |
| Mingo County | 11 | 2 / 9 | 2,612,521 |
| McDowell County | 26 | 13 / 13 | 2,211,500 |
| Nicholas County | 6 | 2 / 4 | 1,350,210 |
| Tucker County | 1 | 1 / 0 | 1,082,802 |
| Mercer County | 4 | 1 / 3 | 326,480 |
| Clay County | 3 | 1 / 2 | 207,045 |
| Greenbrier County | 2 | 0 / 2 | 105,503 |
| Grant County | 1 | 0 / 1 | 81,291 |
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] West Virginia 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 was discovered in West Virginia in the mid-1700s, but large-scale mining did not begin until the mid-1800s.[6]
In 1742, John Peter Salley reported a coal outcrop along a tributary of the Kanawha River.[7]
West Virginia's southern coal fields opened about 1870, the Flat Top Field first shipped coal in 1883, and the Logan Field in Logan and Wyoming counties developed in 1904, when the railway arrived.[7]
West Virginia's coal production peaked twice: 146,088,121 tons in 1927 and 173,653,816 tons in 1947.[7]
West Virginia is the top coal-producing state in the Appalachian region and the second-highest producer in the United States.[2]
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]
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]
West Virginia's coal co-tenancy law states that it leaves unchanged the state's common law on a coal owner's right to use the land surface to extract coal.[8]
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.
West Virginia had 164 producing coal mines in 20 counties in 2024, which together produced 79,532,981 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 Marshall County (14,558,969 short tons), Logan County (9,893,850 short tons), Raleigh County (7,089,255 short tons), Wyoming County (6,672,098 short tons) and Ohio County (6,030,327 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.
West Virginia 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 was discovered in West Virginia in the mid-1700s, but large-scale mining did not begin until the mid-1800s.[6] In 1742, John Peter Salley reported a coal outcrop along a tributary of the Kanawha River.[7]
West Virginia's coal co-tenancy law states that it leaves unchanged the state's common law on a coal owner's right to use the land surface to extract coal.[8]
West Virginia is the top coal-producing state in the Appalachian region and the second-highest producer in the United States.[2] 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]
Selling Coal Mineral Rights and Coal Royalties
Mineral rights in West Virginia
[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] West Virginia: Profile Analysis — U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (accessed November 2, 2026)
[7] History of West Virginia Mineral Industries - Coal — West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (accessed November 2, 2026)
[8] West Virginia Code Chapter 37B, Article 3: Coal Co-tenancy Modernization and Miners Protection Act — West Virginia Legislature (accessed November 2, 2026)
Buckhead Energy buys coal mineral rights and coal royalties.
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